The inauguration of 144 MW Kali Gandaki A, the largest hydropower project in the country, remains as monument of Nepal-Japan cooperation in the year 2004, officials said.

According to the Japanese embassy in Kathmandu, after the commencement of the project, Japan’s contribution to the power sector in Nepal has reached a capacity of 236 MW.

Similarly, the government of Japan extended a total grant equivalent to Rs 14.33 billion to the government of Nepal this year for debt relief measure in the form of cancellation of outstanding debts.

This will help the government of Nepal to take necessary measures required to reduce poverty and promote the social and economic development of Nepal in order to achieve the goals set out in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Japanese officials said.

The Japanese government also provided non-project grant aid, food aid and grant assistance for seven different grassroots projects this year. The Japanese grant to Nepal this year included Rs 870.78 million worth assistance for the extension and reinforcement of power transmission and distribution system in Kathmandu valley and Rs 458.29 million worth assistance for construction of primary schools in support of Education for All (Phase I).

A 12.5 km long segment of the Sindhuli Road (Section II:Sindhuli Bazar-Khurkot) has been opened for road traffic use.

The 159 km Bardibas- Sindhuli-Banepa highway, envisioned by the first popularly elected Prime Minister B. P. Koirala in the 1960s, is being constructed now with the Japanese grant assistance. Upon its completion, the highway will directly link the southern Nepal with the capital, Kathmandu, thereby reducing traffic load on the over-crowded Prithvi highway, officials said.

Japan is the largest bilateral donor to Nepal.

In a message given on the occasion of the National Day of Japan Thursday, ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Tsutomu Hiraoka, said, “The close relationship between our two countries has produced good results in the field of technical cooperation, cultural exchange and education.”

Historically, Nepal-Japan relationship began the day Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century, thus creating a spiritual link between our two countries, said the Japanese envoy. “Direct people to people contact and friendship started in the beginning of the 20th century when Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi, a Japanese Buddhist monk, visited Nepal in 1899 and a group of Nepali students went to Japan for higher studies in 1902,” he said.

A large number of Nepalis are currently receiving opportunities for higher education in Japan under government and non-government scholarships, ambassador Hiraoka said.

Dec. 23 is also the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor Akihito of Japan.