In a rare diplomatic coincidence, President Ramchandra Paudel and Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav are scheduled for foreign state visits in early February 2026.
Japan has invited President Paudel to visit in the first week of February to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations. Sources said that Japan specifically requested the President’s presence as Prime Minister Sushila Karki is busy with the upcoming March 5 elections.
President Paudel shares a long-standing history with Japan; he founded the Nepal-Japan Parliamentarian League in 1999 and was honored with the prestigious "Order of the Rising Sun" in 2020. Notably, Paudel previously declined a Chinese invitation to attend a military parade celebrating the defeat of Japan to avoid diplomatic friction, a gesture Tokyo has reportedly noted with appreciation.
The visit coincides with Vice President Yadav’s scheduled participation in the World Government Summit in Dubai, UAE, from February 3–5.
Since the UAE summit dates are fixed, Nepali officials are working to adjust the President’s itinerary. To ensure a constitutional balance and maintain domestic protocol, the President is expected to depart either just before or immediately after the Vice President’s return.
The invitation comes amid heightened tensions between China and Japan following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan. Analysts view Japan’s outreach to President Paudel as a strategic move to strengthen ties with a reliable South Asian partner during a period of regional volatility.
.
