Former foreign minister Pandey to receive Japanese decorations KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 3 The Government of Japan today announced foreign recipients of the 2020 Autumn Imperial Decorations. Former minister of foreign affairs of Nepal Ramesh Nath Pandey is among this year’s foreign recipients. In recognition of his contributions towards strengthening the relationship between Japan and Nepal, he will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. A press release issued by Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu said Pandey, as former minister of tourism, patronised Japan-Nepal-China trilateral expedition of Mt Everest in 1986. He also issued a stamp of Ekai Kawaguchi, a Japanese monk, who was the first Japanese visitor to Nepal, when he was the minister of Information and Communications in 2002. In 2005, as foreign minister, Pandey visited Japan with then Crown Prince Paras and Crown Princess Himani, to inaugurate Nepali Pavilion in the Aichi Expo ‘05. He had developed close relations with Ryutaro Hashimoto, former prime minister of Japan. They cooperated to help organise the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2006. Japanese decorations are conferred on foreigners twice a year. The Order of the Rising Sun is bestowed upon individuals of merit, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the nation or public, said the embassy.