Japan-Bangladesh bilateral relations emanate from the unwavering Japanese support for the cause of an independent Bangladesh. Japan recognized independent Bangladesh on 10 February 1972 and established diplomatic relations. Following that both the countries established their respective Embassies in 1972. Bangladesh nurture enduring gratitude for all Japanese who stood by in its trying hours. A bond of mutual goodwill and respect has since developed between the two peoples. First President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Japan from 18-24 October 1973 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka. The visit laid down the political foundation for advancing the bilateral relations between the two countries. Since then, the bilateral relations between the two countries have developed steadily by the sustained efforts of the successive governments in both the countries.
Japan has been instrumental in building the country’s infrastructure including roads and bridges, power plants, water and sanitation facilities as well as poverty alleviation and human resources development efforts which contributed to the attainment of overall socio-economic development goals of Bangladesh. Japan played great role in supporting Bangladesh at the time of natural disasters. Japan supported Bangladesh in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by providing budget support loans and 4.5 million doses of vaccines (2021). Japan has always assisted Bangladesh in recovering from natural calamities like cyclone, floods etc. Since the beginning of the Rohingya crisis in August 2017, Japan has been a steadfast supporter of the refugee response in Bangladesh, contributing over USD $43.65 million in humanitarian assistance through UN and NGOs for both the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar and host community. The friendly and peace-loving people in Bangladesh always expresses their gratitude to the friendly and peace-loving Japanese people. Thus, over the years Japan became a true and time-tested friend of Bangladesh.
The bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Japan developed strong momentum and grew from strength to strength in recent years. The official visit of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan from 29 November- 02 December 2010 resulted in the signing of the Joint Statement between the two countries stipulated fundamental basis for the future bilateral engagements, including fresh political commitments from the Government of Japan to undertake major development projects in Bangladesh and to expand bilateral trade and investment. The Government of Japan has continued its support in wider ranges of fields from social development to energy, power generation, communication infrastructure, investment, trade, textile, garments and IT projects.
One reality is Japan’s interest in South Asia. As a region, South Asia was not viewed by Japan as important as compared to Southeast Asia, its own region Far East or USA. Being a US ally, when the USA developed interest in Indo-Pacific, there was a renewed thinking in Japan’s own foreign policy pursuit. Under the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” pioneered by the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014, Japan reenforced her engagement with countries in South Asia (in their Foreign Policy termed as Southwest Asia) including Bangladesh. Japan developed stronger relationship with India through the "Global and Strategic Partnership". In September 2014, Prime Minister Abe visited Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Under “Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth-Belt (Big-B) initiative” Japan came forward with big investment proposal to Bangladesh and through the back-to-back visits of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan and late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Bangladesh the two countries entered into a “Comprehensive partnership” in 2014.
As Bangladesh positions itself as a strategic geo-politically important country, Japan continued to show its interest in Bangladesh as an important partner within its Indo-Pacific strategy. However, there is a need to keep in focus the new realities and set a new direction for Bangladesh’s bilateral relations with Japan for mutual benefit.
The year, 2022, was a remarkable landmark as Bangladesh and Japan celebrated as the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Bangladesh-Japan diplomatic relations. The former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Japan on 25-28 April 2023 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During this visit, Bangladesh and Japan signed a Joint Statement on “Strategic Partnership”. Nine instruments were signed between the two countries to institutionalize cooperation in the areas of Customs, ICT and Cybersecurity, Defense, Industrial upgradation, Agriculture, Metro Rail, Ship Recycling, Intellectual property and Children’s Library setup.
Japan welcomed the formation of the new interim government in Bangladesh in August, 2024 with the Chief Adviser, His Excellency, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, a well-known Economist and Nobel laureate for peace in Japan. Bangladesh has assured Japan that all the ongoing foreign funded projects will continue to the expected implementation.
There has been regular visits by the Ministers, Secretaries and high officials of the Government of Bangladesh to Japan (a list of important visits in 2022-2024 period is listed). Then Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP visited Japan at the invitation of the Speaker of House of Representatives and former Foreign Minister, Dr. A K Abdul Momen, MP visited Japan in April 2022 for bilateral meeting with then Foreign Minister of Japan and in September 2022 for attending former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s State Funeral. There is regular exchange of defense and security visits. In recent years, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staffs and DG Coast Guard have visited Japan. Delegation from Bangladesh NDC visits Japan regularly as part of their course study.
The Embassy continued to liaise with different ministries and agencies in Japan in promoting economic, trade and investment and human resource relations with Japan, and also arranged meetings, seminars, and public diplomacy initiatives in relevant areas. Due to the effort of the Embassy, the flow of technical intern and specified skilled workers have started to increase steadily in recent years. The Bangladesh expatriates living in Japan is approximately 32000 as of December, 2024. With the commencement of regular flights (3 flights per week) of Bangladesh Biman on Dhaka-Narita-Dhaka route, there is prospect of more people-to-people contact and resulting stronger bilateral relations in the days ahead. From November, 2024 Biman has reduced flights to 2 flights per week.
Important visits (2022-2024):
2024
• Visit of former Minister for Housing and Public Works R.A.M. Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in connection with donation of peace monument to Nagasaki Peace Part, Nagasaki, 28-30 May 2024
• Visit of Mr. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of ERD, June 3-7, 2024
2023
• Visit of the former Minister, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, Mr. Md Tazul Islam, 11-12 January 2023 and 01-06 October 2022.
• Visit of the former Foreign Minister, Dr. A K Abdul Momen, MP, 26-27 September 2022 to attend the State Funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He earlier undertook a bilateral visit to Japan in April 2022.
• Visit of the former State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Mr. Nasrul Hamid, MP, 28 July 2022
From Armed Forces:
2024
• Visit of a delegation of the 23rd Armed Forces War Course (AFWC) of the National Defence College of Bangladesh visited Japan from 08-12 September 2024 as part of their overseas study tour
• Visit of the Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan BBP, BUP, nswc, fawc, psc, Chief of Air Staff, Bangladesh Air Force, 17-23 February 2023.
2022
• Visit of the Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal, NBP, NUP, ndc, afwc, psc, Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy to attend the International Fleet Review (IFR)2022-Japan and 18th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), 04-10 November 2022.
2024
2023
• Visit of Mr. NAKATANI Gen, former Special Advisor to Prime Minister of Japan on International Human Rights, 19- 21 February 2023 [Current Defense Minister]
• Visit of Mr. TAKAGI Kei, former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, 12-13 May 2023
Political Consultations
During Hon’ble Prime Minister’s visit to Japan in May 2014 decision has been taken to hold regular Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and Japan. After that both sides re-committed themselves to hold regular Foreign Office Consultations between two Governments when Japanese Prime Minister visited Bangladesh in September 2014. Following the decision, the first ever FOC took place in Dhaka in February 2015. There have been five rounds of negotiations since then in 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023 and in June, 2024. The next round is expected to be held in Tokyo.
Sl No. |
Year |
Title of the Agreement/MOUs |
Name of the Country |
Date of sign/entered into force |
Remarks |
1. |
1978 |
Agreement for the Exchange of International Money Orders. |
Japan |
1978 |
- |
2. |
1980 |
Agreement for Air Services. |
Japan |
1980 |
- |
3. |
1982 |
Cultural Agreement |
Japan |
10 February 1982 (Ratified on 13 December 1982) |
- |
4. |
1991 |
Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income. |
Japan |
1991 |
- |
5. |
1999 |
Agreement concerning the Promotion and Protection of Investment. |
Japan |
1999 |
- |
6. |
2002 |
Agreement on Technical Cooperation. |
Japan |
2002 |
- |
7. |
2005 |
Bangladesh-Japan Cultural Exchange Agreement. |
Japan |
2005 |
- |
8. |
2008 |
Loan agreement for US$ 60 mi towards Emergency Disaster Management Projects. |
Japan |
25 Feb 2008 |
- |
9. |
2008 |
Agreement on Technical cooperation between the GoJ and the GoB. |
Japan |
2008 |
- |
10. |
2012 |
Exchange of Notes on Improvement of the Capacity of Public Food Storage |
Japan |
2012 |
- |
11. |
2014 |
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) and JETRO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish an exclusive industrial park in Bangladesh. |
Japan |
27 May 2014 |
- |
12. |
2016 |
Visa exemption of Diplomatic Passport Holders |
Japan |
|
|
13. |
2018 |
Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Japan to widen the scope of training and jobs for Bangladeshi youths in Japan. Between Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry for Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan |
Japan |
29 January 2018 |
|
14. |
2022 |
Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Joint Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project between PPPA, Bangladesh and MLIT, Japan |
Japan |
Tokyo, 05 October 2023 |
Renewed for 5 years |
15. |
2023 |
Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
16. |
2023 |
MOC between the Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan on Agricultural Cooperation |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
17. |
2023 |
MOC in the Field of Information and Communication Technology including Cyber Security between ICT Division, Ministry of Posts Telecommunications and Information Technology and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
18. |
2023 |
MOC between the Ministry of Commerce of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan on “Bangladesh-Japan Industrial Upgrading Partnership” |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
19. |
2023 |
Memorandum on Defence Cooperation between the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Government of Japan |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
20. |
2023 |
Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges of Bangladesh on Cooperation in the field of Metro Rail |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
21. |
2023 |
Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and the Ministry of Industries of Bangladesh in field of Ship Recycling |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
22. |
2023 |
Memorandum of Cooperation between the Japan Patent Office and the Department of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on Intellectual Property |
Japan |
Tokyo, 26 April 2023 |
|
23. |
2023 |
MOU between Bangladesh National Museum and the Tadao Ando Architect and Associates for the Donation of the Bangladesh Children’s Library |
Japan |
Tokyo, 27 April 2023 |
Donation by Tadao Ando |