Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono will arrive in Kathmandu on a two-day official visit on January 9 at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Gyawali. During the visit, the two leaders will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister Gyawali, during his trip to Tokyo last month, had invited Kano to visit Nepal. Although the preparation for the visit is still in the early stages, officials said the two sides will work on streamlining the bilateral consultative mechanism and sending Nepali labourers to Japan under the government-to-government deal, among others.

Japan has recently opened its job markets to workers from Nepal, but a formal communication on the matter has not been issued yet by the Japanese side.

During Gyawali’s visit to Tokyo, Minister Kono had said he was eager to further relations with Nepal while conveying Tokyo’s intention to continue its support for the economic development of Nepal, the Foreign Ministry said. Japan is one of the major bilateral donors of Nepal.

During the Tokyo meeting, Kano told Gyawali Japan’s willingness to support Nepal’s efforts in fulfilling the administration’s vision “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali” and its efforts towards transitioning to a middle-income country.