Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Maida Toru, organized a special memorial event at his official residence in Tahachal on Friday to honor Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Mt. Everest. The program was held in recognition of Tabei’s historic ascent of the world’s highest peak over half a century ago.
Junko Tabei
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Toru recalled the significant achievement of Junko Tabei and her Japanese mountaineering team. He highlighted the strong support Tabei received from her Nepali friends throughout her journey, and praised the profound friendship and mutual exchanges between Japan and Nepal, particularly in the field of mountaineering. “The deep ties built at the grassroots level through such friendships have helped strengthen the bilateral relationship between our two countries,” the Ambassador stated.
The event was attended by several individuals connected to Tabei from various professional fields, including mountaineering. Former President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Tshering Sherpa, noted Tabei’s important contribution to the development of Nepal’s adventure tourism, particularly mountain tourism. He also shared his personal experience as the Sherpa leader during Tabei’s Everest expedition 50 years ago, vividly recalling the moment they finally reached the summit together.
President of the Nepal Museum Association, Lakpa Phuti Sherpa, also shared her insights and experiences, reflecting on the importance of mountaineering exchanges and the legacy left by climbers like Tabei.
The event also highlighted other historic mountaineering feats by Japanese climbers. On May 9, 1956, Toshio Imanishi became the first to summit Mt. Manaslu. On May 11, 1970, Naomi Uemura became the first Japanese to climb Mt. Everest. Similarly, on May 19, 2012, Tamae Watanabe set a record as the oldest woman (at 73) to climb Everest, having previously set the record at age 63. On May 23, 2013, Yuichiro Miura became the oldest person ever to summit Everest at the age of 80. Additionally, on May 26, 2012, Hirotaka Takeuchi climbed Mt. Dhaulagiri and became the first Japanese mountaineer to successfully scale all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters.
In memory of the 50th anniversary of Tabei’s historic climb, a film based on her real-life story is scheduled to be released in Japan this autumn. The memorial event was attended by prominent figures from the tourism and mountaineering sectors, journalists, embassy officials, and other dignitaries. Junko Tabei’s legacy continues to inspire generations of climbers and adventure enthusiasts, symbolizing courage, resilience, and the power of international friendship.
