Japan expects Tarique's Tokyo visit to further strengthen strategic partnership

Japan expects Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Tokyo visit to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan. The expectation was expressed in a statement issued by the country's foreign ministry on Friday (23 October).

According to the Japanese foreign ministry's statement, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman will visit Japan from 26 October to 29 October. The visit will be treated as an official visit.

During the visit, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will hold a meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. She will also host a luncheon in honour of the Bangladeshi prime minister.

The statement said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Bangladesh.

In Japan's words, Bangladesh is an important regional partner of the country. The statement noted that both countries believe in shared values and principles such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law.

Japan also believes the visit will help strengthen coordination between the two countries towards realising the updated concept of a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific'.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Dhaka said discussions are under way on signing eight memoranda of understanding ahead of the prime minister's Japan visit.

The subjects under discussion for the memoranda include agriculture, fisheries, human resource development, skills enhancement, civil aviation, trade, environmental conservation and modernisation of the local government system.

However, diplomatic sources said that of the eight under discussion, four to five memoranda may ultimately be signed.

All in all, with Tokyo formally voicing its expectations, discussion over the next phase of relations between the two countries surrounding the prime minister's Japan visit has gained further momentum. Attention will now be on which memoranda are signed at the end of the visit and what decisions emerge from the meeting.