Kathmandu, August 2:

Japan’s Senior Vice-Minister for Defence Takahide Kimura departed today, assuring the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on possible assistance that Japan could provide for Nepal’s democratisation process.

“We appreciate the Prime Minister’s effort for democratisation of Nepal. I have mentioned about successful election to constituent assembly and Japan’s possible assistance for that,” Kimura told reporters at Baluwatar after he met PM Koirala.

Stating that they had also discussed possible “economic cooperation”, Kimura added that Japan would consider it.

Prime Minister Koirala expressed his commitment to hold the constituent assembly election on the scheduled date .

“The present security situation is not good but it would improve,” PM’s advisor for foreign affairs, Dr Suresh Chalise, quoted Koirala as saying.

Kimura was here particularly to inspect the work of Japanese Arms Monitors in the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

Senior Vice-Minister for Defence observed the Arms Monitors’ activities yesterday.