Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to leave for Japan on Sunday for a four-day official visit at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi.
During the visit, he will hold high-level bilateral talks with Takaichi, meet representatives of major Japanese companies and development institutions, visit industrial and energy facilities, and deliver the keynote address at the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Forum.
The prime minister will hold bilateral talks with Takaichi at her office on October 27, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam told journalists at a curtain-raiser media briefing at the Foreign Ministry on October 20.
Takaichi will also host a luncheon in honor of the Bangladesh Prime Minister, he said.
The premier’s visit is expected to deepen the existing strategic partnership, attract fresh Japanese investment, expand trade and accelerate ongoing development projects, he added.
Discussions will focus on the effective implementation of the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), signed in February 2026, expanding access for Bangladeshi products to the Japanese market and strengthening business engagement.
The two sides will also explore wider cooperation in renewable energy, agriculture, science and technology, digital transformation, skills development and human resource development.
The prime minister is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Forum and meet Japanese business leaders.
His tentative program includes engagements with the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League and the chairman of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation.
Meetings are also being planned with the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the president of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
The proposed itinerary includes visits to an LNG terminal and power plant in Futtsu City, Chiba; the headquarters of UNIQLO; and a Toyota factory in Nagoya.
The foreign secretary said the two sides were discussing draft memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements covering agriculture, fisheries, human resource development, skills enhancement, civil aviation, trade, environmental conservation and local government modernization.
“We hope that many of these MoUs will be signed during the visit,” he said.
Around eight MoUs are under discussion, of which three to four could be signed during the visit. Separate agreements are also being pursued in education and human resource development.
Detailed discussions are planned on Japanese support for establishing factories in Bangladesh, generating employment and developing human resources in line with the prime minister’s priorities.
The two sides are also expected to discuss regional and international peace and stability, a sustainable and peaceful solution to the Rohingya crisis, stronger cooperation in addressing the energy crisis, and efforts to end international conflicts.
The visit follows the prime minister’s participation in an online meeting in April at the invitation of the Japanese premier, during which Bangladesh welcomed a Japan-led initiative to address energy challenges across Asia.
Japan has been a major development partner of Bangladesh since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972. Japanese assistance has supported major infrastructure projects, including the Dhaka metro rail, the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and infrastructure development in Matarbari.
Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman visited Japan in 1978 and 1980, while former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia visited the country in 1994 and 2005.
