Japan-Bangladesh Relations (Basic Data)

March 2012

Basic Data

Diplomatic relations:: Established in February 1972.
Japanese Nationals:: Number of Japanese nationals residing in Bangladesh: 459 (Oct. 2006); Number of Bangladesh nationals residing in Japan: 9,707 (Dec. 2003)
Trade with Japan (July 2005-June 2006):: Exports: $167.7 million (shrimps, woven garments, leather and camera parts); Imports: $584.1 million (transport equipment, ships and boats, and iron and steel)
Direct Investment from Japan (July 2005-June 2006):: $1.64 million
Japan's Economic Cooperation:: Outline of Japan's ODA to Bangladesh (September 2005) [PDF] [Text Version]; List of Exchange of Notes; Loans: 249.06 billion yen (JFY2006), 597.8 billion yen (E/N based) (up to JFY2006); Grants: 23.16 billion yen (JFY2006), 457.6 billion yen (E/N based: incl. 256.866 billion yen for debt relief) (up to JFY2006); Technical Cooperation: 16.12 billion yen (JFY2006), 49.8 billion yen (up to JFY2006)

From Japan to Bangladesh

Year	Name
1994	President of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentarians' League Hiroshi Mitsuzuka
1995	State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hakuo Yanagisawa
1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002	Vice-President of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentarians League Shin Sakurai
2000	Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori
2003	Acting President of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentarians League Shin Sakurai
2004	President of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentarians League Shin Sakurai
2005	Senior Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Takayoshi Tsuneda
2005	Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shuzen Tanigawa
2005	Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ichiro Aisawa
2006	President of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentarians League Shin Sakurai
2006	Former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura
2006	Foreign Minister Taro Aso

From Bangladesh to Japan

Year	Name
1994	Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia
1997	Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
1998	Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad
2000	Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad
2001	Minister for Science, Information and Communication Technology Abdul Moyeen Khan
2001	Minister for Women and Children Affairs Moudud Ahmed
2004, 2005	Minister for Food and Disaster Management Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf
2005	Minister for Health and Family Welfare Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain
2005	Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia

The cultural agreement was concluded on December 13, 1980.
The Cultural Exchange Programme was signed on July 14, 2005.

500.4 million yen (Cultural Grant Aid)
1.3 million yen (Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects)

(1) Visit of Mr. Taro Aso, Foreign Minister of Japan to Bangladesh: Mr. Taro Aso, Foreign Minister of Japan paid an official visit to Bangladesh from July 24 to 25, 2006. During his stay in Bangladesh, the Foreign Minister held a meeting with Prof. Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, President, Begum Khaledea Zia, Prime Minister, and Mr. Morshed Khan, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.
(2) Opening of Rupsha Bridge: H.E. Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, inaugurated Rupsha bridge on May 21, 2005, along with Mr. Shuzen Tanigawa, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. To construct a bridge over the Rupsha River was a long-cherished wish of the Bangladesh people. The project was implemented with the cooperation of the Japanese Government. The bridge has a length of 1.4 kilometers.