Kathmandu, June 10 : Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola yesterday met former prime minister of Japan Ryutaro Hashimoto and held discussions on matters of mutual interests.

On the occasion, Mr Hashimoto thanked Mr Bastola for attending the funeral of late Keizo Obuchi and stated that Japan and Nepal have deep friendship at both the people and government levels.

Minister Bastola expressed his appreciation for the assistance Nepal has received from Japan on various development programmes and added that some of the Japanese-aided projects have started accruing tremendous benefit to the people of Nepal.

According to the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Tokyo, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Japan Kedar Bhakta Mathema and deputy chief of protocol Deepak Dhital were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, Minister Bastola inspected the Royal Nepalese Embassy and acquired information about its activities.

In the evening, Foreign Minister Bastola attended a reception hosted in his honour by Ambassador Mathema at his residence.

Addressing the guests on the occasion, Minister Bastola highlighted the deep bond of friendship existing between Nepal and Japan and noted that the relations would grow stronger in the days ahead.

Proposing a toast, former Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Mr Chuichi Ito wished for further growth and development of bilateral ties.

A large number of guests including president of JICA Kimio Fuito, executive director of Japan International Cooperation Tomio Uchida, secretary general of Asian Productivity Organisation Takashi Tajima, the former Japanese Ambassadors to Nepal, academicians, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of Japan-Nepal Society, senior executives of Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, journalists, Nepalese residents in Tokyo and diplomatic staff of the embassy and their spouses were present.

Foreign Minister Bastola left Tokyo for Bangkok on his back home Saturday morning.

He was seen off at the Narita Airport by Royal Ambassador Mathema.