Kathmandu, April 29:

Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Koichiro Gemba who arrived on a two-day visit of Nepal Sunday met President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and top leaders of different political parties and discussed Nepal’s peace process and constitution writing.

Koichiro called on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav at the Presidential Office at Sital Niwas and held talks on Nepal-Japan bilateral ties.

During the meeting, President Dr. Yadav stressed friendly ties between the two countries and added that Nepal is ready to work together with Japan for mutual benefits.

During the meeting, Japanese minister Koichiro said that his government was ready to extend its support for Nepal’s development projects.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Kunio Takahashi and members of the Japanese delegation attended the meeting.

Similarly, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro met with Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and discussed Japanese assistance in Nepal’s economic, social and political sectors.

Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai lauded Japan’s support in Nepal’s development efforts and urged the minister to continue support in the days to come.

According to Prime Minister’s press advisor Ram Rijan Yadav, the Prime Minister stressed further strengthening of the bilateral relations between the two countries during the meeting.

"Koichiro said that his country is ready to support Nepal’s development projects and expressed commitment to increase Japanese assistance for economic and social development process of Nepal," Yadav said.

The Japanese government is willing to

increase its assistance in the field of education and infrastructure development projects of Nepal, PM’s press advisor Yadav said.

During the meeting, Dr. Bhattarai and Japanese minister also discussed about the latest development in the constitution writing and peace process in Nepal.

The Prime Minister said that the Japanese minister that the peace and constitution writing processes are at the final stage. Nepal will focus its attention on economic development after the process of peace and constitution concludes, according to Yadav.

The Prime Minister informed the Japanese minister that Nepal had announced 2012 as Visit Lumbini Year and 2013 as Investment Year with the aim of promoting religious tourism and foreign investment in the country.

The Japanese minister hailed the progress made in the peace process during the tenure of Prime Minister Bhattarai.

Koichiro meets top leaders

Likewise, Japanese Minister Koichiro met with UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum- Democratic (MJF-D) Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and discussed the peace and constitution writing processes.

During the meeting, top leaders of major political parties said that the peace and constitution writing processes were at the final stage.

The Japanese Minister expressed his hope that the parties would arrive at consensus regarding the disputed issues of the constitution.

Meanwhile, Nepal-Japan foreign minister level meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Singha Durbar on Sunday. An agreement was signed on Japanese grant assistance of Rs. 259 million to increase food production in Nepal.

During the meeting, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Kunio Takahasi and Nepal’s Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Baskota signed the agreement in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs of both the countries.

The Japanese government has agreed to provide various equipment to the Election Commission for the management of voters’ ID cards.

According to Foreign Ministry official Niranjan Man Singh Basnyat, the government has decided to seek Japanese assistance for the construction of 200 Megawatt Upper Seti hydel project, operation of Metro Railway in Kathmandu and Mid-hill Highway.

Secretaries of the Finance Ministry and Foreign Ministry and Ambassador of Nepal to Japan Madan Kumar Bhattarai also attended the meeting.