Finance Minister Shankar Prasad Koirala has said the first priority of the government was on hydropower and infrastructure development. So, the private sector and foreign investors were encouraged to invest in this area.

At a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Masasi Ogawa, at the Finance Ministry on Thursday, he said the country is engrossed in the upcoming election. And, after drafting the constitution through the CA, the govenrment would keep economic development in the first work list.

Japanese investment in Kathmandu-Bhaktapur, Sindhuli-Bardibas roads and Tanahu hydrowpoer were very laudable, he said urging Japan to increase assistance in such development projects.

On the occasion, Ambassador Ogawa said he would make utmost efforts to augment Japan's assistance to Nepal's development endeavors, thereby strengthening the two-country relations in his stint.

According to the Personal Secretariat of Finance Minister, the Japanese Ambassador was for strengthening two-country relations and augmenting assistance to Nepal's socio-economic development.