The Bangladesh community in Japan is made up of 17,948 people.  The number is growing – from 9115 in 2013, to nearly 18,000 in 2021.  There is a good number of professionals, academics, and a growing number of IT professionals who came to Japan as students and settled down.  A large majority are small traders and engaged in the services and manufacturing sectors. Japan is a tough labour market to penetrate due to the stringent conditions attached, such as high language and skills proficiency. A small number of Bangladeshis have come to Japan to work mostly in the construction and services sector under the Technical Internship Programme, which is a temporary scheme to bring in ‘interns’ for 3-5 years.  Total number of Technical Interns (TI) from Bangladesh is currently 226.  In 2019, Japan adopted a law that allows skilled and semi-skilled foreign workers to enter the country for the first time, which came into effect on 01 April 2019.   The Embassy, through relentless efforts, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on 27 August 2019 with the Govt. of Japan. Thus, Bangladesh has been included as an approved source country for recruitment of workers in Japan. The Mission is continuing to make efforts to make a breakthrough in the labour market.  To that effect, the Embassy of Bangladesh arranged a virtual signing ceremony on 16 February 2022 on ‘Agreement Concerning Technical Intern Training Programme’ between Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL) and ZENBI CO-OP of Japan, a company of ASEAN Financial Holding CO. Ltd. Following the agreement, the ASEAN Financial Holdings Co. Ltd. will assist BOESL to send technical interns and specified skill workers in Japan.