PM heads to Japan seeking fresh investment

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left for Japan late on Sunday night for a four-day visit aimed at attracting investment, expanding trade and creating jobs as Bangladesh seeks to deepen economic ties with a key development partner.
At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, he will hold high-level talks, meet business leaders and development institutions, visit industrial and energy facilities, and deliver the keynote address at the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Forum.
The talks are expected to focus on implementing the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), signed in February 2026, expanding access for Bangladeshi products to the Japanese market and strengthening business ties.
The two sides will also discuss cooperation in renewable energy, agriculture, science and technology, digital transformation, skills and human resource development, as well as regional and international stability, the Rohingya crisis, energy security and international conflicts.
Bangladesh has proposed a $13.8 billion investment and cooperation package covering 12 priority sectors for 2026-2031. The plan allocates $3.45 billion for transport and urban connectivity, $3.14 billion for integrated industrial, port and commercial hubs, including Matarbari, $1.57 billion for manufacturing and electronics, $1.26 billion for energy and green transformation, and $940 million for climate-resilient infrastructure.
Another $3.45 billion is proposed for agriculture, pharmaceuticals, ICT, the blue economy, tourism and small and medium-sized enterprises. Some initiatives fall under Japan’s Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) initiative. The package and ways to broaden economic cooperation are expected to feature prominently during the visit.
Tarique will meet Taro Aso, president of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League, today, with Tatsunori Ibayashi, a senior league member and Japan’s minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, also attending. 
He is also scheduled to meet Masumi Kakinoki, chairman of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation, and Dr Akihiko Tanaka, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In the evening, he will attend a dinner hosted by Yohei Sasakawa, honorary chairman of the Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
Following a ceremonial guard of honour tomorrow, the prime minister will hold a meeting with Takaichi at the Japanese prime minister’s office. The leaders are expected to address a joint press conference before attending a luncheon hosted by Takaichi.
Discussions will cover strategic ties, trade, investment, infrastructure and regional and international issues. Particular attention will be given to reducing costs for Dhaka’s metro rail project, lowering interest rates on Japanese loans and accelerating infrastructure projects to meet deadlines.
Tarique will also visit JERA’s onshore liquefied natural gas terminal and power plant in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, and the Nittsu Logistics Hub in Ichikawa.
On 28 October, he will meet Kazuhiko Amakawa, governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and visit the headquarters of apparel retailer Uniqlo to meet its president and board members. He is also scheduled to meet Susumu Kataoka, president of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and attend a luncheon hosted by him.
Separate meetings are planned with Mitsui & Co, Sumitomo Corporation and JERA, alongside two group meetings with representatives of 14 other Japanese companies. The discussions will explore investment, factory development, job creation, industrialisation, technology transfer and skills development.
In the afternoon, the PM will deliver the keynote address at the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Forum at the JETRO building in Tokyo, which aims to strengthen business links and open new avenues for trade and investment.
He will later attend a Bangladesh Embassy event with signatories to memorandums of understanding on education and human resource development, followed by a community event with expatriate Bangladeshis at Hotel New Otani.
On 29 October, the final day of the visit, Tarique will travel by Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Nagoya to visit Toyota Motor Corporation’s Motomachi Plant and the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology.
He will attend a luncheon hosted by Toshimitsu Imai, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, before returning to Tokyo by bullet train. He is scheduled to fly to Dhaka from Narita International Airport on Biman Bangladesh Airlines, arriving at 10:35pm on Thursday.