KATHMANDU, Feb 2: President Ramchandra Paudel has called on the Japanese business community to explore investment and trade opportunities in Nepal, assuring them of the government’s full support for foreign investors.
Addressing an interaction programme with members of Japan’s business community in Tokyo on Monday, organised to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan, President Paudel said Nepal is keen to build close partnerships with the Japanese private sector.
“We have created a stable macroeconomic environment with attractive investment returns, profit opportunities and smooth capital repatriation procedures,” President Paudel said, adding that the Nepal government is committed to providing full support, seamless facilitation and security to foreign investors.
Japanese entrepreneurs willing to invest in Nepal's tourism sec...
He said the milestone anniversary of Nepal–Japan diplomatic relations presents an opportune moment to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual benefit. Referring to the shared cultural links rooted in the philosophy of Gautam Buddha, President Paudel quoted Buddha as saying, “The victory of peace is one in which no one is defeated.”
Encouraging Japanese investors to invest with confidence, he highlighted sectors such as agriculture, hydropower and tourism, noting that investment in Nepal would be both economically rewarding and socially meaningful. “Investment in Nepal brings wealth as well as virtue,” he said.
President Paudel said Nepal and Japan have long enjoyed an excellent relationship based on goodwill, friendship and cooperation, and expressed confidence that the enthusiastic participation of the Japanese business community would help strengthen trade and investment ties. He also praised Japan’s decades-long support as a reliable development partner in Nepal’s socio-economic development, noting that bilateral relations have grown stronger not only at the government level but also among the people.
He said Nepal’s efforts are focused on political stability, social justice, good governance and prosperity for its people. He added that Nepal’s graduation from the least developed country category by the end of this year, and its target to become a middle-income country by 2030, would mark major milestones.
Achieving these goals would require substantial resources, he said, underscoring the need to attract foreign investment in national priority sectors, expand trade, diversify connectivity, promote tourism and acquire advanced technologies. He stressed that no country can achieve prosperity without strong public–private cooperation domestically and meaningful partnerships internationally.
President Paudel said Nepal has adopted liberal economic policies and opened nearly all sectors—including manufacturing, hydropower, tourism, services, information technology, mining and agriculture-based industries—to foreign investment. He added that wide-ranging legal, procedural and institutional reforms have been implemented to ease business, attract investment and promote innovation.
He noted that the Investment Board Nepal provides one-stop services to large investors, and that independent assessments by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and major international rating agencies have recognised Nepal as offering one of the most favourable business environments in South Asia. Nepal’s strategic location between the two emerging economies of India and China, he said, offers additional advantages to potential investors.
At the programme, Nepal’s Acting Ambassador to Japan, Harihar Kanta Paudel, welcomed participants, while Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai and Joint Secretary Bhrigu Dhungana made presentations on investment potential in Nepal. Several members of the Japanese business community said they were encouraged to learn about the wide range of investment opportunities in Nepal, expressing optimism that the interaction would help open new avenues for investment.
