PM’s four-day Japan visit begins Oct 26

111Diplomatic Correspondent22
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to visit Japan on October 26 for a four-day official trip, at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, according to Foreign Ministry.

The Foreign Ministry is now working to finalise a manpower agreement that could emerge as one of the key outcomes of his first bilateral visit to the country, official said adding that the October 26-29 visit will ink several memorandums of understanding and agreements.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will hold bilateral talks with the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, while Tarique is also expected to meet Emperor Naruhito.

Officials said manpower exports, Japanese investment, trade and energy cooperation are expected to feature prominently in the talks, as the two countries seek to deepen their Strategic Partnership.

Among them, an MoU related to sending Bangladeshi workers to Japan is at an advanced stage of negotiations and could be signed during the prime minister’s visit if the two sides reach final agreement.

The manpower issue gives the visit particular significance as Bangladesh seeks to expand access to Japan’s labour market amid Tokyo’s growing demand for foreign workers.

Earlier, Japan announced that it planned to recruit at least 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over five years. Bangladesh and Japan also signed two MoUs in Tokyo in May 2025 aimed at developing skilled manpower for the Japanese market.

Since then, Dhaka has sought to accelerate recruitment by expanding Japanese-language and technical training and addressing procedural barriers facing Bangladeshi workers.

The government has also established a dedicated Japan Cell under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

The ministry says Bangladesh plans to send 100,000 workers to Japan annually in response to Japanese demand, with opportunities primarily under the Technical Intern Training Programme, Specified Skilled Worker scheme and professional employment categories.

Tarique himself has made expansion of the Japanese labour market a priority.

During a meeting with a special adviser to the Japanese prime minister in July, he urged Tokyo to recruit more skilled Bangladeshi workers and sought greater Japanese cooperation in skills development and investment.

The upcoming visit is therefore expected to review progress on those initiatives and explore ways to translate existing commitments into greater numbers of Bangladeshi workers entering Japan.

The invitation for Prime Minister to visit Japan was formally conveyed on behalf of Takaichi during recent high-level exchanges between the two governments.

The Japanese side reiterated the invitation during bilateral consultations, while Bangladesh invited Takaichi to visit Dhaka at a mutually convenient time.

Japan is already one of Bangladesh’s major development partners and has been involved in large infrastructure projects, while the two countries have increasingly sought to move the relationship beyond traditional development assistance towards trade, investment, skills and strategic cooperation.