DHAKA, Oct 24 2026 (BSS)- Japan expects the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to deepen bilateral understanding, strengthen the two countries’ Strategic Partnership and create fresh momentum for economic cooperation, particularly in investment, infrastructure development and business confidence.

The Prime Minister will pay an official visit to Japan from October 26 to 29 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two governments formally announced the visit on October 20.

During the visit, Tarique Rahman will hold high-level bilateral talks with Takaichi at her office in Tokyo on October 27. The Japanese Prime Minister will also host a luncheon in his honour, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said at a media briefing at the Foreign Ministry.

“Japan welcomes Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to Japan as Prime Minister,” the Economic Section of the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka said in a response to a BSS query on Tokyo’s expectations from the visit.

Japan hopes the visit will advance cooperation towards peace and security in the region and shared prosperity, while providing an opportunity for the two countries to reaffirm common priorities and discuss how bilateral cooperation can better support Bangladesh’s development objectives.

On the economic front, the Japanese side said investors’ sentiment was improving in view of the new government’s pro-business policies.

“We also attach importance to improving the investment environment, advancing infrastructure cooperation and strengthening human and institutional capacity,” the Economic Section said.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Forum and meet Japanese business leaders to discuss investment opportunities, trade and industrial cooperation.

His tentative programme also includes meetings with representatives of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League and the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation.

Meetings are also being planned with the presidents of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) 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.

A major focus of the visit will be attracting fresh Japanese investment, expanding bilateral trade and accelerating ongoing development projects.

The two countries are expected to discuss the effective implementation of the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), signed in February 2026, and ways to expand access for Bangladeshi products to the Japanese market.

The foreign secretary said announcements concerning memorandums of understanding or cooperation in agriculture, fisheries, human resource development, skills enhancement, civil aviation, trade, environmental conservation and local government modernisation might be made during the visit.

Detailed discussions are also planned on Japanese support for establishing factories in Bangladesh, generating employment and developing human resources in line with the Prime Minister’s priorities.

Beyond bilateral economic issues, the two sides are expected to discuss regional and international peace and stability, a sustainable and peaceful solution to the Rohingya crisis and stronger cooperation in addressing the energy crisis.

The Japanese Embassy’s Economic Section said the visit would provide an opportunity to discuss ways to address investment-related challenges, reinforce business confidence and create a sound foundation for future economic initiatives.

Japan also emphasised the importance of effective follow-up to high-level discussions so that shared priorities and commitments translate into practical benefits for both countries.

It particularly welcomed progress in ongoing cooperation, noting that tangible improvements in existing initiatives would help strengthen business confidence and encourage further investment.

Japan has been a major development partner of Bangladesh since the country’s independence, supporting infrastructure development, human resource development and capacity building.

Its cooperation includes major projects such as Dhaka’s metro rail, the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) and infrastructure development at Matarbari.

The visit is expected to provide fresh impetus to the Strategic Partnership established in 2023, with investment, trade, infrastructure, technology transfer and human resource development remaining central to the two countries’ shared economic priorities.