Japanese ambassador to Nepal Masashi Ogawa and Shanta Raj Subedi, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, have signed and exchanged a set to Notes on behalf of their respective governments for extending Japan’s Grant Assistance up to two hundred and eight-two million Japanese Yen (¥282,000,000), the equivalent of about two hundred and fifty-seven million Nepalese Rupees (NRs. 257,000,000) to the Government of Nepal for the implementation of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Scheme in Japan’s Fiscal Year 2017.

Similarly, Jun SAKUMA, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Baikuntha Aryal, Joint Secretary of the International Cooperation and Coordination Division of the Ministry of Finance have also signed and exchanged a Grant Agreement for the implementation of this Scheme.

According to a press release issued by Japanese Embassy, the JDS Grant is designed to support human asset development of friendly nations through accepting highly capable, energetic, and young government officials in Japanese universities as JDS fellows. These officials are then expected to engage in formulation and implementation of socio-economic development plans and programs, and are also expected to be future leaders or engines for development in their respective countries. Another objective of the JDS Scheme is to strengthen partnerships between recipient countries and Japan by utilizing human relation chains to address future global needs.

Twenty (20) Nepalese government officers were selected as the second batch of Nepalese JDS fellows through the strict evaluation process. The Embassy wishes them every success in obtaining their Master Degree from their respective university.

 Similarly, in Japan’s Fiscal Year 2016, a total of 20 Nepalese government officers enrolled in the same eight (8) Japanese universities.  In this regard, the Embassy suggests the 2nd batch of fellows ensures their active engagement in order to build a strong international human network with the involvement of JDS fellows of other countries, Japanese and their Nepalese superiors and also strengthen international human relationship for a better world.                 

The Embassy of Japan expresses its firm belief that all JDS fellows will play a pivotal and note-worthy role in the socio-economic development of Nepal, and thereby strengthen the existing cordial relationship of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.

Addressing the dissemination program, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Ogawa said that Japan will continue to provide support to Nepal to enhance the capability of human resources of Nepal. “As a good friend of Nepal, Japan is eager to support Nepal in the process of implementation of constitution,” said ambassador Ogawa, at Japanese Embassy Thursday.

  According to a JICA press release, JDS offers 2-year scholarship to 20 government officials of Nepal who are engaged in formulating and implementing socio-economic development planning and to study at a graduate school in Japan for Master’s Degree, with an objective to resolve development challenges in Nepal. JDS is implemented in 13 countries since 1999 for supporting the human resource development of the countries targeting highly capable, young government officials and others who are potential future leaders of the partner countries. More than 3,700 officials have studied in Japan under this scholarship.

During the occasion Jun Sakuma further expressed that, “We are hopeful all the scholars will contribute to the development process of Nepal once they come back after completing their education in Japan.” This agreement expects to expand and enhance the foundation for bilateral relations between Japan and Nepal by means of accepting them in Japanese Universities as overseas students.