The chief adviser (CA) returned home following a highly impactful four-day visit to Tokyo, held from May 28 to 31, 2025. According to reports, Yunus attended 20 engagements, including a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Japan’s commitment to support Bangladesh
Among the most notable outcomes was Japan’s commitment of $1.063 billion in support of budgetary needs, railway development, economic reforms, climate resilience, and human development initiatives. Equally historic was the signing of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) -- the first such agreement Japan has entered into with any South Asian country.
Following Yunus’ address at the Bangladesh business seminar, six cooperation documents were signed in areas ranging from trade and investment to broader economic collaboration. Additionally, two MoUs were inked to enhance skills training for Bangladeshi workers and facilitate their employment in Japan.
In a significant development, the Japanese government expressed its intention to recruit up to 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next five years. It is imperative that this recruitment process be managed transparently and distributed fairly among genuine and reputable agencies.
Chief Adviser Yunus also delivered a keynote address at the prestigious 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia, bringing together leading figures from government, business, and academia to chart the future of the Asia-Pacific region and its role in the global order.
On the sidelines,Yunus, among other dignitaries, met with 99-year-old former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, seeking his support for Bangladesh’s bid for ASEAN membership.
Looking beyond the optics
The visit was not only diplomatically successful -- it was strategically significant. It reinforced our long-standing ties with Japan while opening up promising new avenues of cooperation. More importantly, it underscored Bangladesh’s emerging role in regional affairs at a critical geopolitical juncture.
Japan has long been a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s development journey. Its support has transcended political changes at home, extending across infrastructure development, education, healthcare, human resources, and more. Successive governments in Bangladesh have maintained warm relations with Tokyo, and Japan, in turn, has consistently refrained from meddling in our domestic affairs.
During our 1971 Liberation War, the people of Japan -- young and old -- offered wholehearted support, with school children even donating their lunch money to our cause. During my own diplomatic tenure in Japan, I observed that Bangladesh held a special and familiar place in the hearts of the Japanese people, unlike in many other countries.
The foundation of our diplomatic relationship was laid by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during his historic visit to Tokyo in October 1973. Later, in October 1977, Bangladesh, under President Ziaur Rahman, won lasting Japanese admiration by successfully resolving a hijacking crisis involving a Japanese airliner held in Dhaka by the Japanese Red Army. Despite the heightened internal risks, the government managed to rescue all hostages without bloodshed, even neutralizing a coup attempt by a renegade group in the Bangladesh Air Force. In gratitude, Japan gifted a Boeing aircraft to Bangladesh -- a symbolic gesture that deepened bilateral trust.
From setback to revival
The trajectory of our relationship was briefly disrupted in June 2016, when nine Japanese engineers were brutally murdered at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka. This tragedy, blamed on Islamist terrorists, deeply shook Japanese confidence. (It is worth noting that some counterclaims suggested the incident may have been politically manipulated to justify a crackdown on dissent under the guise of fighting militancy.)
That incident occurred just a year after the landmark visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Bangladesh in 2014, during which he brought 200 top Japanese business leaders to explore investment opportunities. He also announced the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth-Bangladesh (BIG-B) initiative, which included a $6bn investment package. Among the projects envisioned were a deep-sea port at Matarbari, twin 600 MW coal power plants, and a Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar superhighway.
I had the privilege of inculcating personal relationships with the top leaders of Japan, including Mr Abe. He was extremely generous to invite me to his hotel in Dhaka for a short chat. During that meeting with him, I was struck by his deep conviction in Bangladesh’s future. He shared with me his broader vision for Japanese support in transforming our economy. His passing left a void in our bilateral relationship that will not be easily filled.
Addressing the critics
The success of Yunus’ visit also serves as a strong rebuttal to his domestic and international detractors, who continue to question the legitimacy of the interim government. Some critics had predicted that Yunus’ decision to visit China as his first foreign trip would alienate traditional partners like Japan and the United States. These fears have proven unfounded. Japan warmly welcomed Dr Yunus and demonstrated its continued trust in Bangladesh’s leadership.
Equally baseless are recent concerns that Bangladesh’s proposal to facilitate a humanitarian corridor into Rakhine State ( yet to be implemented) intended to avert famine among the remaining Rohingya population -- would antagonize China or Japan. Neither country has publicly voiced any such misgivings. In fact, Japan’s embrace of the chief adviser and China’s upcoming visit to Bangladesh with a 200-member investment delegation suggest quite the opposite.
It is disheartening, however, to hear some political figures in Bangladesh still engaging in reckless rhetoric. A senior female leader recently suggested it would be “safer” to bring all remaining Rohingya from Rakhine into Bangladesh rather than allow humanitarian access. One wonders what depth of geopolitical understanding lies behind such a proposition.
Yunus’ visit to Japan has reaffirmed Bangladesh’s enduring friendship with a key strategic partner while projecting a new vision of regional diplomacy. It has reminded us that international legitimacy is not claimed through press releases -- it is earned through engagement, action, and results. The chief adviser’s return from Tokyo carries the clear message that Bangladesh is back on the global stage with renewed purpose, integrity, and confidence.
Ashraf Ud Doula is a former Bangladesh ambassador to Japan.