Nepal's nominee for ambassador to Japan, Jigyan Kumar Thapa, has withdrawn his candidacy following concerns over a potential conflict of interest linked to his Japanese permanent-residency status. Parliamentary Hearing Committee chair Bodha Narayan Shrestha informed the committee on Monday that Thapa had decided to withdraw his name and would soon submit a formal application, Daily Nepal Times reported; The Kathmandu Post also reported the withdrawal on Monday.

Source: Daily Nepal Times

Thapa's parliamentary hearing, scheduled for October 14, was postponed after lawmakers questioned his permanent-residency status in Japan. He said he had renounced that status — he told the committee he gave it up on March 25 — but the committee sought clarification regarding Article 291 of Nepal's Constitution and the timing of the renunciation, and also sought information from the Japanese government through Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: Inner Circle Nepal

One of 13 nominees

Thapa was among 13 ambassadorial candidates recommended by the government on October 2. At the October 14 hearings, the committee unanimously approved 10 nominees, rejected two — Giribahadur Sunar for Saudi Arabia and Chudamani Kharel for Malaysia — and deferred only Thapa's case while it sought more information about his residency status and professional ties in Japan. Questions had also been raised about whether members of his family still hold Japanese permanent residency and about property and professional links there; Thapa maintained there were no legal barriers to his appointment.

With the withdrawal, the committee no longer needs to complete the approval process for the Japan nomination, and the government will have to put forward a new name for the Tokyo post, which remains vacant.