Kathmandu, January 24:

An eight-member JICA project formation team, led by Chihiro Atsumi, the Director General of the Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs at the Department of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will formulate a plan that will make possible the meeting of Nepal Development Forum (NDF) as per its schedule.

Tanako Toshiaki, the team director, senior assistant to the Director General of Southwest Asia, said JICA would formulate the plan for supporting Nepal’s peace process. Atsumi expressed Japan’s “strong support” for the ongoing peace process and the management of arms. He said he had met the personal representative of the UN Secretary General, Ian Martin and discussed how the international community could play a supporting role in the management of arms.

He said Japan has welcomed the UNSC resolution on Nepal. “Japan hopes that the mission will support the management of arms and electoral process,” he said at a press meet. Asked about the Japan’s willingness to send its arms monitors to participate in the UN Political Mission in Nepal, he said that it would depend upon the structure of the mission.

Tokyo may join UN mission

TOKYO: Japan is considering sending troops to the UN mission set up in Nepal to monitor the peace accord with Maoists, it said on Wednesday. “The govern ment will consider the matter with due consideration for the safety of troops who may be dispa-tched,” government spo-kesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki said. “Our country will continue to provide support in implementing the comprehensive peace accord in Nepal,” Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Mitsuo Sakaba said. — AFP