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A delegation led by Takebe Arata, Japanese parliamentarian, called on President Ram Chandra Paudel on Monday.

In the meeting held at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas today, President Paudel said to the visiting Japanese delegation that Nepal had a suitable environment for investment in sectors such as hydropower, tourism and agriculture.

Apprising that the Government of Nepal had recently reformed the law to create an enabling environment for investment, the Head of the State urged the Japanese investors to consider investment in Nepal, according to the Secretariat of President Paudel.

Expressing his gratitude towards Japan's 'unconditional and selfless' support towards Nepal, he thanked Japan's support especially in the areas of infrastructures, agriculture and health.

Mentioning that Nepal's relationship with Japan was culturally connected through the medium of Lord Buddha, the light of Asia, he viewed that the relation between Nepal and Japan was strong at people-to-people level as well.

He further asserted that the two countries shared a close bond due to the fact that both countries express the same voice in the international forums on the political agendas such as democracy, human rights and rule of law, stated the President's Secretariat.

Furthermore, President Paudel expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the Nepali students returning from Japan after learning skills there.

The Japanese delegation, on the occasion, drew the attention of President Paudel, towards enabling a favorable environment for the Japanese companies willing to invest in Nepal.

They shared that they were happy to meet Nepali students aspiring to travel to Japan for further studies who were eager to return home after learning skills there.

Arata, also Chairperson of Standing Committee on Judicial Affairs, House of Representatives in Japan, said that the Japanese delegations suggested the government of Nepal for economic decentralization and for creating a favorable environment for such returnees to retain in Nepal and work here.

The meeting of the transitional justice mechanism held on Monday ended inconclusively.  

The meeting held at the Ministry of Home Affairs at Singha Durbar this morning in participation of the stakeholders including the members of the mechanism ended without making a concrete decision.

Nepali Congress leader and Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak, CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula and CPN (Maoist Center) Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma attended the meeting aimed at finalizing the issue of the transitional justice bill.

UML Chief Whip Bartaula said that today's meeting ended with the decision to meet again on Thursday.

"The main Act, bills and reports of sub-committees on transitional justice related issues will be studied and reviewed. The questions raised on them will be collected and the next meeting will be held Thursday with full preparations," he pledged.

He said that the mechanism will also prepare the draft of all discussions held so far on the matter and focus on them in upcoming meetings, he said.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, President of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee Bimala Subedi and Attorney General Ramesh Badal among others were present in the meeting.

Earlier on Friday, a meeting of the mechanism held at the Ministry of Home Affairs had discussed the issue of building consensus on the transitional justice bill.

Former Minister Govinda Raj Joshi was convicted of corruption by the Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday.

SC Justices Binod Sharma and Bala Krishna Dhakal announced the verdict convicting Joshi on corruption charges, SC's Assistant Spokesperson Govinda Prasad Ghimire said.

According to Ghimire, the SC has slapped Joshi with nine months in jail and a fine of Rs 6.9 million.

Earlier, the Special Court had convicted Joshi and fined Rs 21.61 million stating that he amassed the property illegally.

Following the Special Court's verdict, Joshi had lodged a petition at the Supreme Court some 11 years ago.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has pointed out the need for coordination among federation, province and local level in the improvement of prisons and child correction homes.

In today's meeting of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee under the House of Representatives, Home Minister Lekhak said, "There is a high number of prisoners in jails across the country. The jails lack physical infrastructures."

He laid emphasis on the need of constructing physical infrastructures, adding there is also lack of space and physical infrastructures in child correction homes.

"There are nine child correction homes in eight districts. Condition of all correction homes should be improved ", explained the Home Minister.

Home Minister Lekhak said the government would pay attention to the issue of daily allowance of the prisoners, assuring that the government would address the problems related to health and hygiene they are facing.

The government was serious about skill development and income generation of prisoners, stressed the Home Minister, pointing out the need of developing prisons as skill development centers.

He laid emphasis on the need for arrangements of health insurance and skill as well as counseling programs.

The government, however, would move ahead as per the recent directives of the Supreme Court regarding imprisonment exemption, asserted Home Minister Lekhak. 

The Home Minister further said the government would pay attention to lessen and control rape and crime related to drugs.  He expressed commitment that the government would be accountable and responsible towards Parliament and Parliamentary committees, adding the government would take the directives of committees seriously as well as implement them.

In the meeting of the committee, Home Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal said that 10 of the 72 prisons in the country are currently being upgraded. "Capacity development of prisoners and library work is being done."Prisoners learn skills until they stay in prison," said Home Secretary Aryal, "Even after release from prison, they can get jobs accordingly."

He informed that the work of ensuring the prisoners' health has been advanced. In the event, three sub-committees formed by the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee to monitor juvenile correctional facilities and prisons across the country submitted a report to the Home Minister.

The report mentions the overall condition of children's correctional homes, prisons, the challenges faced there and the work to be done and improvements. The MPs participating in the meeting suggested that the children's correctional home should be organized as soon as possible.

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ajay Kumar Chaurasia and Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Navalkishore Shah Sudi were also present in the committee meeting today.

In the meeting, Law Minister Chaurasia said that he will take initiatives to implement all laws related to human rights made according to the constitution. Similarly, Minister Sudi opined to manage separate place to children in prisons.