It is my great pleasure to extend my congratulatory message on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of JICA Alumni Association of Nepal (JAAN). This MILAN magazine commemorates the valuable experiences and achievements of JAAN. By contributing to this distinguished magazine, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and respect for the efforts made by all JAAN members in fostering a friendly relationship between Japan and Nepal.
In retrospect, the year 2022 made us feel the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2022, I attended JAAN’s 48th Annual function, which was my first time to attend a ceremony in person since I was assigned to Nepal, and which was also one of the most memorable events in Nepal last year. The presence of Hon. Foreign Minister Dr. Khadka at the ceremony impressed me again with the great influence of JAAN’s achievements over the years.
The year 2022 was a commemorative year for the longstanding exchange between Japan and Nepal, marking the 120th anniversary of the first dispatch of eight Nepali students to Japan. May 2022, for the first time in about two years, I hosted a reception at my residence to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Nepali-Japan students exchange. I thank again for the attendance of JAAN executives at the event. I believe it was a great opportunity to further deepen our ties.
Although traveling between Japan and Nepal was once restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now we are returning to pre-pandemic situation. Number of visits by dignitaries have been increasing. For example, Hon. State Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKEI Shunsuke visited Nepal to lead the observation mission for the elections of the House of Representatives and Provincial Assemblies in November 2022. At that occasion, members of Nepali organizations associated with Japan, including the President of JAAN, shared many heartwarming episodes between Japan and Nepal with Hon. State Minister TAKEI and other members of the observation team from Japan. Their stories moved even my heart. As the number of Nepali students, specified skilled workers and technical intern trainees in Japan is projected to increase in the future, I believe that expectations for the “people-to-people exchanges” that JAAN is engaged in will grow even greater.
I wish for JAAN’s continued success and development toward the Golden Jubilee the next year, and hope that the “people-to-people exchanges” that JAAN engages in will further strengthen the ties between Japan and Nepal.
Yutaka KIKUTA
Ambassador of Japan to Nepal