State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, TAKEI Shunsuke left Bhutan yesterday after a three-day visit from November 21 to 23. The state minister was accompanied by SUZUKI Hiroshi, Ambassador-designate of Japan to Bhutan, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in Tokyo and the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi. The minister called on the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on the first day.

SUZUKI Hiroshi and Tshoki Choden, Director, Department of Bilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed the Exchange of Notes for Grant Aid “The Project for Strengthening Health Care Services in Eastern Area”. Through this Project worth 535,000,000 Yen, the Government of Japan will provide medical equipment necessary for health care services for mothers and children to health facilities in six eastern districts.

Japan is a long-standing development partner of Bhutan. Bhutan and Japan enjoy very close ties of friendship, cooperation and understanding.

The visit to Bhutan by the minister will further strengthen the relations between the governments and peoples of the two countries, a press release from the foreign ministry stated.

This is the first high-level visit from Japan since the Covid-19 pandemic and the second ministerial-level visit to Bhutan from Japan.