Summary of Japan-Bangladesh Relations, 1953-2005

The Japanese consulate in Dhaka opened in September 1953, and throughout the existence of “East Pakistan” Japan gained a positive reputation for being fair in the manner in which it balanced its aid policies between West and East Pakistan.

An early contribution was Japan’s assistance in improving the methods of agriculture in Bangladesh, which is said to have increased significantly the country’s food output.

During the Bangladeshi war of independence in 1971, Japan maintained a neutral stance, and was concerned that India might intervene after the West Pakistani forces had withdrawn. However, when it soon became clear that Bangladesh would maintain its independence, Japanese aid was restored, and positive political relations soon emerged.

Overall, the Japan-Bangladesh relationship has been a relatively friendly one. In particular, ordinary Bangladeshis tend to have a positive feeling toward Japan. By 2005, the community of Bangladeshis living in Japan numbered nearly ten thousand, making it the second-largest foreign Muslim population in Japan after the Indonesians.

State Visits

1973 -- Prime Minister Mujibur Rahman Visits Tokyo
1975 -- Crown Prince Akihiko Visits Dhaka
1977 -- Foreign Minister Iichiro Hatoyama Visits Dhaka
1978 -- President Ziaur Rahman Visits Tokyo
1980 -- President Ziaur Rahman Visits Tokyo
1985 -- President Hossain Mohammad Ershad Visits Tokyo
1987 -- Foreign Minister Tadashi Kuranari Visits Dhaka
1990 -- Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu Visits Dhaka
1994 -- Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia Visits Tokyo
1997 -- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Visits Tokyo
1998 -- Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad Visits Tokyo
2000 -- Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori Visits Dhaka
2000 -- Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad Visits Tokyo
2005 -- Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia Visits Tokyo

Economic and Trade Relations

In 2005, the economic and trade balance between Japan and Bangladesh was heavily in Japan’s favor. Japanese exports to Bangladesh were valued at about US$528 million (mostly cars, ships, and steel products); and Japan’s imports from Bangladesh totaled about US$153 million (predominantly shrimp, textiles, and camera parts).

Chairman of the Parliamentary Friendship League

Shin Sakurai
House of Councilors (party list)
Liberal Democratic Party

MOFA Webpage

Japan-Bangladesh Relations

Embassy Webpage

Embassy of Japan in Dhaka
Embassy of Bangladesh in Tokyo

2005 Newsletters

2006 Newsletters

168 -- Japan Participates in Bangladeshi Oil and IT Sectors
234 -- Japan-Bangladesh Information Technology Exposition
264 -- Outgoing Japanese Ambassador Hails “Honest Candidate Movement”
328 -- More Japanese Economic Assistance for Bangladesh
331 -- The Foreign Muslim Population in Japan
338 -- Japanese Trade with the Islamic World in 2005
340 -- Aso Visits Dhaka: Bangladesh Wants More Help
369 -- Is the Japan-Bangladesh Group a Fraud?
413 -- Japan-Bangladesh Group Now Brings Guineans / Award to Muhammad Yunus

2007 Newsletters

563 -- Thirty-Five Years of Japan-Bangladesh Diplomatic Relations
627 -- Japanese Company to Invest in Bangladeshi Textile Sector
641 -- Japanese Trade and Cultural Events in Dhaka
693 -- Muhammad Yunus in Japan / Elections / Culture and Academia
728 -- Loans and Aid for Transportation Sector / Solo Art Exhibition
850 -- New Look at Japan-Bangladesh Trade / Cyclone Sidr

Information for the “Japan-Bangladesh Relations” page was compiled by Michael Penn.