Japan Grants ¥454 Million to Nepal for Human Resource Development in 2024-25

The Government of Japan has extended a grant of 454 million Japanese Yen (approximately Rs 423 million) to Nepal to support the Project for Human Resource Development for the fiscal year 2024-25. The agreement for this assistance was formalized today through the signing and exchange of official notes at the Ministry of Finance.

Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire, Secretary of the Finance Ministry, and Kikuta Yutaka, Japan's Ambassador to Nepal, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments. The Japanese Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Programme, which was initiated in Nepal in 2015 with Japan's support, will continue its phased implementation under this new grant, according to a statement from the Ministry.

The current funding will support scholarships for 22 Nepali candidates—20 for a two-year Master's program and two for a three-year PhD program—at various universities in Japan. To date, the JDS Programme has facilitated the education of 127 Nepali fellows, including 125 Master’s degree holders and two PhD graduates, all of whom have returned to contribute to Nepal. Additionally, 35 Master’s candidates and three PhD candidates are currently pursuing their studies in Japan.

During the signing ceremony, Secretary Dr. Ghimire highlighted the importance of the scholarship program in enhancing the capabilities of Nepal's civil service, which will ultimately improve public service delivery. He also expressed hope that the program would further strengthen the bilateral relations between Nepal and Japan.

Ambassador Kikuta Yutaka voiced his confidence that the graduates of the JDS Programme will play a significant role in Nepal’s development and contribute to the longstanding cooperation between the two nations.

The Government of Nepal has expressed its sincere appreciation to Japan for its continuous and generous support, particularly in the areas of socio-economic development and human resource capacity building.