Kathmandu April 30

The government of Japan is going to decorate senior leader of the Nepali Congress, Ram Chandra Poudel, with the ‘Grand Cordon of the order of the Rising Sun’. The Japanese government on Wednesday took the decision in this regard. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nepal, Poudel, is among this year’s foreign recipients of the 2020 Spring Imperial Decorations. Poudel is to be decorated with the title in recognition to his contribution towards strengthening the relationship between Japan and Nepal, reads a press release issued today by Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu. Poudel had established the Japan Nepal Friendship Parliamentarian League in 1999 when he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was the first chairperson of the League from the beginning until 2017 and actively involved in the promotion of bilateral relations by receiving many VIPs. Furthermore, he participated in the 40 year, 50 year and 60 year anniversaries of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and made congratulatory statements, reads the statement. Japanese Decorations are conferred upon foreigners twice a year, on 29 April and 3 November, concurrently with the conferment of decorations and medals to Japanese nationals. The Order of the Rising Sun is bestowed upon individuals of merit, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the nation or public. This is also conferred upon foreign nationals who have made notable contributions to the promotion of relations between Japan and other countries in areas such as politics and diplomacy, research and education, medicine and social welfare, economy and industry, and culture and sports.