Kathmandu, October 14
The number of Nepalis living in Japan has reached 300,992, including around 116,000 students, according to Gyan Kumar Thapa, Nepal’s ambassador-designate to Japan.
Presenting his work plan before the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, Thapa said the Nepali population in Japan had increased nearly 43-fold from 6,953 in 2005.
Students make up the largest group of Nepalis in Japan, followed by family dependants, people under the technical and humanities knowledge visa category, and specified skilled workers, among others.
The growing Nepali population has increased demand for consular services, but staffing and infrastructure remain inadequate, Thapa said.
He pledged to prioritise accessible, respectful and timely consular services, including establishing a clear system for registering complaints, addressing grievances and providing responses.
Thapa also said he would introduce mobile consular services outside Tokyo to make services more accessible to Nepalis living in other parts of Japan.
He outlined plans to provide information and counselling for students, workers, families and businesspeople, as well as develop clear procedures for verifying demand letters for foreign employment.
Under a digital embassy and information management initiative, Thapa said he would make consolidated information on consular services available to Nepalis and introduce online applications, appointment booking, digital payments and facilities to track application status.
