Delivers speech in Nepali

Kathmandu, November 19:

The newly appointed Japanese ambassador to Nepal, Tatsuo Minuzo, today said his country will continue economic assistance to Nepal and explore other areas of support for Nepal’s development.

Speaking at a programme to mark the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations, Minuzo said Nepal and Japan share a century old relations even though the diplomatic relations are only 50 years old.

The Japanese envoy surprised everyone by delivering his speech in Nepali. “I have started learning Nepali language and I have yet to gain command over the language,” he said. He said in Nepali, “Malai mulako achar maan parchha. Kala bhaneko sanskriti ra sanskriti bhaneko kala ho, ra malai resam firiri geet man parchha (I like radish pickle. Art is culture and culture is art, and I like the Nepali song ‘Resham Firiri’).”

Singers Ananda Karki and Nalina Chitrakar presented their own favourite songs, but not the ambassador’s favoutite. However, the ambassador joined the audience when Nalina asked them to clap to the tune of her song.

Emcee Sugarika KC, who started hosting the programme in English, shifted to Nepali language after finding that the envoy had his speech written in Nepali.

Badri Prasad Baidhya, one of the former Nepali envoys to Japan, said Japan has tremendously contributed to Nepal’s economic development.