Kathmandu, September 10 :

The government of Japan is likely to assist in human resource development (HRD) in Nepal in initiatives taken by the private sector.

Tsutomu Hiraoka, Japanese ambassador to Nepal hinted at this possibility today while speaking at the launching of Nikkeiren International Cooperation (NICC) Alumni Nepal here.

NIICC Alumni Nepal is an institution established and promoted by FNCCI with a mission to enhance competitiveness in the private sector through human resource development.

Hiraoka said that NICC was established in 1994 in Japan. Following it, cooperation between NICC Japan and FNCCI has increased. He said that there was a need to boost human resource development in Nepal, a goal in which Japan is ready to join hands with private sector initiatives.

After the NICC was set up in Japan, various programmes related to human resource management, industrial relations and management trainings are being held that have helped in boosting human development.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Ramesh Lekhak, minister of state for labour and transport management, opined that private sector organisations and chambers have to play a key role to become efficient service providers and helping businesses to grow at the global level. NICC’s role in developing human resource is worth praising. It would turn out to be quite productive for business sector’s growth, said Lekhak.

Lekhak said that the need of the hour is to ‘learn and assess’ the working culture, system and the way Japanese work to achieve business and economic growth.

Diwakar Golchha, first vice-president of FNCCI, observed that the private sector cooperation between Nepal and Japan is very significant. Golchha said that Japan’s assistance in human resource development in Nepal through FNCCI has been very significant. He opined that, NICC, promoted by Japan Business Federation, has played a significant role in developing human resources in various Asian countries and Nepal is also a major beneficiary of the NICC programme.