PM seeks JICA loan, expertise

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has arrived in Japan on a four-day state visit. On the first day of his visit, he held meetings with leading Japanese politicians, the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the chairman of Marubeni Corporation. During the meetings, the Prime Minister sought Japan’s cooperation in increasing Japanese investment in Bangladesh, expanding bilateral trade, transferring technology, developing skilled manpower, and ensuring the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas.

Tarique Rahman arrived in Tokyo on Monday (October 26) at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The regular Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the Prime Minister, his wife Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage landed at Narita International Airport at 9:05 am local time. Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasutaka Nakasone welcomed the Prime Minister at the airport.

On the first day of his visit, Tarique Rahman met a delegation led by Taro Aso, former Japanese prime minister and president of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League. The meeting was held at Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel at 3:00 pm local time.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister thanked Taro Aso for the Friendship League’s continued contribution to strengthening friendly relations between the two countries. He also recalled meeting Aso during his visit to Japan in 2006 as Senior Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Tarique Rahman said Taro Aso had played a positive and constructive role in improving bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Japan while serving in various important positions, including prime minister, deputy prime minister and finance minister of Japan. Aso’s longstanding personal engagement with Bangladesh, he added, had further deepened the friendship between the two countries.

Both sides emphasised the importance of expanding political, economic and people-to-people ties. Referring to the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the Prime Minister sought  Taro Aso’s support for increasing Japanese investment in Bangladesh, expanding bilateral trade and strengthening technology transfer. He also expressed his expectation that Japan would continue to support Bangladesh in implementing its development priorities and building a skilled workforce.

The Rohingya crisis was also discussed at the meeting. Tarique Rahman sought Japan’s cooperation in ensuring the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas displaced from Myanmar. He invited Taro Aso and members of the Friendship League to visit Bangladesh.

Former Japanese minister and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chairman Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tatsunori Ibayashi, and senior Japanese lawmakers were present at the meeting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid a courtesy call on Dr Akihiko Tanaka, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), at 5:10 pm local time on Monday. JICA Senior Vice-President Shohei Hara and other senior officials of the agency were also present.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for Japan’s longstanding cooperation and JICA’s contributions to the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh. He also recalled the meeting held in Dhaka during the JICA president’s visit to Bangladesh in July 2026.

The meeting discussed completing ongoing major development projects supported by Japan within the stipulated timeframe and expediting the approval and implementation of priority projects awaiting clearance. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of continuing concessional loan assistance and expanding technical cooperation in line with Bangladesh’s development priorities.

Proposals were also raised to expand cooperation in Bangladesh-Japan skills development partnerships, the establishment of a technology and innovation city, agricultural modernisation, agro-processing and the light engineering sector. In view of the global energy situation, the Prime Minister also requested budgetary support, similar to that provided last year, to ensure the country’s energy needs and security.

The JICA president reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working together to help Bangladesh achieve prosperity. The Prime Minister expressed hope that these initiatives would further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Earlier, at 3:45 pm local time, the Prime Minister met Masumi Kakinoki, chairman of Marubeni Corporation and president of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC).

During the meeting, Tarique Rahman praised Kakinoki’s role in strengthening commercial relations between Bangladesh and Japan. He emphasised the importance of expanding Japanese investment in Bangladesh and consolidating the economic partnership between the two countries.

Masumi Kakinoki expressed his expectation that the effective implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would expand bilateral trade, increase Japanese investment and create new business opportunities.

The Prime Minister urged Japanese investors to increase investment in promising sectors of Bangladesh, including information and communication technology (ICT), renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. He said there were significant opportunities for investment in these sectors through foreign direct investment (FDI) and public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Tarique Rahman also sought Japan’s assistance in modernising the Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited (KAFCO) and assessing the feasibility of establishing a second fertiliser factory in the country.

The Prime Minister said the government was committed to ensuring an investment-friendly environment. To this end, work was underway to expand investment and business opportunities for Japanese companies through regulatory reforms, simplification of investment approval procedures and stronger public-private partnerships.

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad, Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostakur Rahman, and relevant officials were present at the meeting.

Earlier, on October 11, a delegation led by Masayuki Omoto, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Marubeni Corporation, met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. At that meeting, discussions focused on cooperation in information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, fertiliser and energy, as well as expanding Japanese investment in Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister’s Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Employment in the Asia-Pacific region Md Shakirul Islam Khan, and senior officials of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo were also present.