PM Tarique Rahman Leaves Tokyo After Four-Day Japan Visit, With Six Deals and 17 Private MoUs Signed

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left Tokyo for Dhaka on Thursday (October 29) after completing a four-day official visit to Japan. The visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations, attracting investment and expanding trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin said the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and the entourage departed Narita International Airport at 10:44 pm local time.

Tarique Rahman's visit, at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, included high-level bilateral talks, the signing of cooperation agreements, discussions with Japanese business leaders on investment prospects in Bangladesh, and visits to important industrial and energy installations in Japan.

At a bilateral summit held at the Japanese prime minister's office on October 27, Tarique Rahman and Takaichi discussed strengthening the two countries' long-standing partnership. Trade, investment, energy security, infrastructure, technology, space research and regional and international issues received special importance in the talks.

The two leaders also discussed a proposal for one trillion Japanese yen, or $6.3 billion, in private investment in Bangladesh's energy, infrastructure and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors. They also discussed sending a Japanese delegation to Bangladesh to accelerate progress on that investment plan.

During the visit, Bangladesh and Japan signed six bilateral cooperation documents. Commitments were also received for two loan projects worth 46.56 billion yen, which will support improving Bangladesh's investment environment and implementing the second phase of the Upazila Governance and Development Project.

The signed documents include a grant agreement of up to 2.12 billion yen, or $13.44 million, to supply a patrol vessel to strengthen Bangladesh's coastal security capability. Memorandums of understanding were also signed to improve the business environment, and to expand cooperation in agriculture, employment programmes through skills development, and the fisheries and livestock sectors. A letter of intent on climate change cooperation was also signed.

Alongside the government-level agreements, 17 memorandums of understanding were signed between private-sector organisations at an event organised by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said.

On October 28, the prime minister addressed the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Forum dialogue at JETRO headquarters in Tokyo. He invited Japanese companies to invest in five priority sectors: automobile manufacturing, energy, technology and space, high-speed rail and logistics, and agro-processing. He assured them of necessary reforms to improve the business environment and of government support for investors.

During the visit, Tarique Rahman also met Japanese political leaders, development partners and business leaders, including former prime minister Taro Aso, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Dr Akihiko Tanaka, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Governor Kazuhiko Amakawa and JETRO President Susumu Kataoka. In meetings with representatives of leading Japanese companies including Uniqlo, Mitsui & Co, Sumitomo Corporation and JERA, he discussed expanding investment, setting up factories, creating jobs, technology transfer and skills development.

On October 27, the prime minister visited JERA's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and power plant in Futtsu and the Nitsu logistics hub in Ichikawa. Today he visited Nagoya, where he toured Toyota Motor Corporation's Motomachi plant and the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology.

The visit took place amid efforts to expand economic relations after Bangladesh and Japan signed their first Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in February 2026. Japan has long been one of Bangladesh's main development partners, supporting major infrastructure projects including Dhaka's metro rail, the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and the Matarbari deep seaport.

Tarique Rahman had travelled to Japan on Monday (October 26) for the four-day visit at Takaichi's invitation. His entourage included his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir and the chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, among a high-level delegation.