PM meets JICA president in Tokyo: requests for concessional loans and energy support, summit with Takaichi on Tuesday

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on Japan to continue its cooperation in implementing Bangladesh's development priorities, ensuring energy security and improving people's living standards. The prime minister made the call during a courtesy call on Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Tanaka Akihiko at the Hotel Imperial in Tokyo after 5pm local time on Monday. JICA Senior Vice President Hara Shohei and senior officials of the agency were present.

Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin gave the information. He said the prime minister began by recalling the fruitful meeting held during the JICA president's visit to Bangladesh in July 2026, and expressed gratitude for Japan's long-standing cooperation and JICA's important contribution to Bangladesh's socio-economic development.

Noting that Japan's cooperation continues to play an important role in infrastructure development, socio-economic progress and fulfilling development aspirations, the prime minister said it is essential to continue cooperation with Japan to deepen the two countries' long-standing friendly relations for Bangladesh's development and improvement of people's living standards.

The meeting stressed completing the large ongoing development projects with Japanese assistance within the scheduled time, and also discussed speeding up approval and implementation of priority projects awaiting approval. Considering Bangladesh's current development priorities, the prime minister also stressed continuing concessional loan assistance from Japan and increasing technical cooperation.

Several important proposals were raised from the Bangladesh side during the meeting. They include building a 'Bangladesh-Japan Skills Development Partnership', establishing a 'Technology and Innovation City', and increasing Japanese cooperation in agricultural modernisation, agricultural product processing and the light engineering sector.

In addition, considering the current situation of the global energy sector, a request was made for budget support, as last year, to meet the country's energy demand and ensure energy security. In response, the JICA president reaffirmed the commitment to work together for Bangladesh's prosperity. The prime minister expressed hope that these initiatives would further strengthen the Bangladesh-Japan strategic partnership.

Also present from Bangladesh were Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Prime Minister's Finance and Planning Adviser 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 Posts, Telecommunications and ICT and Science and Technology Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Foreign Employment in the Asia-Pacific region Md Shakirul Islam Khan, Economic Relations Division Secretary Md Shahriar Quader Siddiky, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon and other senior officials.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday attended a dinner at the invitation of Yohei Sasakawa, honorary chairman of the Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The dinner was held at the Hanagasumi restaurant of Meiji Kinenkan in Tokyo. Recalling his meeting with Yohei Sasakawa in Dhaka last September, the prime minister thanked him for his long-standing contribution to humanitarian assistance, education and public health in Bangladesh. Possible cooperation in setting up a vaccine production plant in Bangladesh for infectious disease control was also discussed. The prime minister's wife Zubaida Rahman, Bangladeshi ministers and advisers, and Nippon Foundation Executive Director Takashi Arikawa attended the dinner.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit has created an important opportunity to create new areas of cooperation with Japan and build a long-term partnership in mutual interest. Speaking at a press conference at the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo on the prime minister's Japan visit, he said the international community is interested in Bangladesh's current government, and that the visit will play an important role in further strengthening bilateral relations with Japan, expanding trade and attracting Japanese investment.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Sanae Takaichi will lead the Bangladesh-Japan bilateral summit. They will meet at the Japanese prime minister's office, the Kantei, in Tokyo at 11am local time on Tuesday. Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin said the Japanese prime minister will formally receive Bangladesh's prime minister, after which the bilateral summit will be held under the two prime ministers' leadership, and Tarique Rahman will attend a luncheon at the Japanese prime minister's invitation after the meeting. The meeting will discuss strengthening bilateral relations, increasing trade and investment, Japanese cooperation in various sectors, and the two countries' positions on international issues.

Earlier, at a courtesy call at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo at 3:45pm local time on Monday with Masumi Kakinoki, president of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC) and chairman of Marubeni Corporation, the prime minister stressed further strengthening the economic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan. Masumi Kakinoki expressed hope for expanding bilateral trade, increasing Japanese investment and creating new business opportunities through effective implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The prime minister called for increased Japanese investment in promising sectors in Bangladesh including information and communication technology, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.