Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who arrived in Kathmandu only today, reached Basantpur area. During that time, she visited the Basantpur area and also had a conversation with the businessmen there. She even bought a statue of Buddha.

This is his first visit to Nepal after being appointed as the foreign minister of Japan. Japan is at the forefront of the list of countries that provide continuous support for the prosperity of Nepal. The relationship between Nepal and Japan is not only at the government level but also at the public level. Currently, 163,000 Nepali citizens are in Japan for study, employment and business.

Under the Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Project scheme under the guidelines outlined by Department of Archaeology and UNESCO, Japan also provided fund to restoration Patan Krisnha Mandir and the archeological sites in Kathmandu valley including Basantapur.

Japan also provided fund through Cultural Grant Assistance to contribute to the promotion of cultural and higher educational activities and preservation of cultural heritage in developing countries. I

Delegated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, JICS began carrying out preliminary studies both in Japan and on site concerning equipment requested for this grant aid in FY1993.

Since FY1995, in accordance with contracts with developing countries' governments, JICS has assisted with tendering (public notice, implementation and evaluation of the tendering process) for equipment procurement.