“I want to continue this relationship”

Shiro Kurauchi, 58,  a Japanese national, has a record of visiting Nepal a hundred times as of now. He visited Nepal 40 times by 1984. He worked as Nepal’s tourism representative in Japan during the  Visit Nepal Year 98'. Kurauchi is an advisor to Nepal Police Mountaineering & Adventure Foundation and also a special advisor & honorary member of Phect-Nepal and co-ordinator, Phect-support group, Japan. He is  the secretary general of Japan-Nepal Cultural & Friendship Association and the general secretary of Takarazuka Nepal Society.  The excerpts of an interview with The Independent:

Q: What brings you here now?
A: This time I’m here to negotiate with Kirtipur municipality to bring in an ambulance and a fire engine; which have already been despatched from Japan to Calcutta. But I hear that the Nepali government now has prohibited the import of reconditioned vehicles.

Q: Since when have you been coming here?
A: I first came here to give Nepal police training in mountaineering in 1977. Thereafter my other visits were to negotiate for various social works. Time has flown by so fast!

Q: What kind of social works?
A: In the past six years, we have been donating fire engines to police and municipalities. Besides donating funds for constructing school buildings and medical equipment, we also have been supporting Kathmandu Model hospital in Bagbazar with medical equipment for the past 8 years. We are also involved with a micro- hydro project in Bhujung in Lamjung district.

Q: Besides work, what attracts you to Nepal?
A:  I have many good friends in Nepal with whom I feel very comfortable. I’m proud of them. I find people here very friendly, kind and hospitable. I want to continue this relationship. The Himalayas here is another reason that I come here.

Q: What changes have you observed since your first visit and today?
A:  Streets are over-crowded now with people and cars. It used to be so quiet before. People too have changed- both in good and bad ways. Modernisation has had its impact.

Q: Is it not the same in Japan?
A: Yes, there are so many punks there. Another casuality of modernisation is the old people. Earlier, they were respected and treated well. They are neglected now. I notice the same here now. The younger generation are getting more selfish and materialistic.

Q: How do you feel when you see the results of your work in the villages?
A: I feel very satisfied with my contribution. It makes me feel nice to see the villages getting access to electricity and health facilities. We also selected 50 volunteers to work as local health consultants. The Japanese government has spent Rs. 125,000.000 for the projects. That is excluding the medical equipment.

The public health concern trust (phect) aims at helping the poor. Those who cannot pay are given free services and medicines. Even big medical operations are provided free for the poor. The ultimate aim is to teach the villagers to take care of themselves through prevention.

Q: When will you make your 101st visit here?
A: After a month.

Q: Are you not tired of coming here?
A: Of course not! (laughs)

Q: You also received a decoration, Gorkha Dakshin Bahu from His Majesty?
A: Yes, in 1997.

Q: You have been going to Lumbini every year for the last 6 years. Are you satisfied with its development?
A: No. Its progress is very slow, unfortunately.

Q: What do you think is the reason behind it?
A: People say money is being ill spent. A Japanese newspaper also said that a high up person ordered the Japanese monk to be killed. That was a terrible incident.

Q: Are Japanese people attracted to Nepal?
A: Japan could be a huge market for Nepal’s tourism. But due to the lack of enough direct flights between Nepal and Japan, the Japanese tourists are increasingly opting for Singapore and Thailand.

Age no bar, sex no bar

By A Staff Reporter

Friendship is a very true and strong relationship where you share and care.” Says the 17 year old Nichol Shahi, the Miss Friendship of the World contestant from Nepal. The contest was held 9 December 1999 in Vietnam where 35 countries participated. She gained access to this competition with the help of Everest Media and Entertainment.   “The world wanted unity for the millennium that can only be possible through friendship. This contest was supposed to signify the concept.” Nichol says there was no stress even on the word ‘friendship’ during the contest. She was asked only one question in the pre-judging round. She got the impression that the judges put more emphasis on what dresses the contestants were wearing.

Nichol, brought up in Brunei and Singapore feels very much the same after her recent experience. She already has had some experience in modelling for the past 2 years and she plans to continue with it. “Eventually, I want to become a cardiologist. But, I want to finance my studies myself and modelling means money too.” She is currently studying in RIBS school in class 10. Nichol feels very positive about modelling as a career, “You can develop your personality through this medium. There is nothing wrong with it as long as you keep yourself in line and be what you are.”

“People generally do not understand the true meaning of friendship these days”, opines Nichol. “Friendship has no bar- sex or age. But here, if you are friends with opposite sex, you are instantly misunderstood and branded as so and so. This is so typical of our society.”

Nichol says it is important for youngsters   to concentrate on their studies and set their priorities right. “One should know what to imitate and what not to. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look one’s best but I feel inner beauty is more important than external appearance.” After all, beauty of skin and bones does not last long and the youngster is sharp enough to realise it so early.