[🇧🇩] Strategic Aspect of Bangla-Japan Relation

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undefined | The Financial Express

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Japan keen to invest more in Bangladesh's manufacturing sector
Published :
Jun 10, 2024 00:03
Updated :
Jun 10, 2024 00:03

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori on Saturday expressed his country's willingness to invest more in the manufacturing sector in Bangladesh.

The envoy expressed this interest in a bilateral meeting with Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury in the National Parliament on Sunday.

The Japanese government is also willing to increase the connection and collaboration of Bangladeshi universities with Japanese universities, UNB reports.

He has expressed interest in retraining Bangladeshi students to employ them in Japanese industrial factories in the fields of robotics and manufacturing in Japan.

Education Minister Mohibul assured to support any initiative of the Japanese government in all fields of education starting from the university level to increase the skills of Bangladeshi students through information technology and technical and vocational training.

He expressed his interest in teaching the Japanese language in universities and introducing a teacher exchange program aimed at improving the skills of secondary-level teachers in Bangladesh through Japanese-trained teachers.​

 

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Japan leads development funding to Bangladesh

Japan leads development funding to Bangladesh by releasing the highest US$1.66 billion worth of assistance among the foreign financiers in recent tough times facing the country amid forex crunch. The amount of foreign-aid disbursement by Japan was the highest during the first 10 months fro

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Japan leads development funding to Bangladesh
FHM HUMAYAN KABIR

Japan leads development funding to Bangladesh by releasing the highest US$1.66 billion worth of assistance among the foreign financiers in recent tough times facing the country amid forex crunch.

The amount of foreign-aid disbursement by Japan was the highest during the first 10 months from July to April of the outgoing financial year (FY) 2023-24, in keeping with its top position since last fiscal, official data showed.

In the FY2023 also, Bangladesh received the highest $1.94 billion in loans and grants from the historically highest bilateral donor, Japan, according to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) data.

During this past July-April period, the total amount of the assistance was nearly $600 million higher than Bangladesh's historically largest development partners-the World Bank-and nearly $200 million higher than the second-biggest financier- the Asian Development Bank.

The Manila-based Asian bank disbursed $1.499 billion worth of assistance and the Washington-based WB $1.05 billion during the period in question.

In the past fiscal, Japan disbursed $1.94 billion worth of loans and grants in FY2023. But the ADB released $1.787 billion and the WB $1.898 billion.

"Japan has emerged as the biggest development partner of Bangladesh in recent years, as its fund disbursement is rising year on year," says a senior ERD official in appreciation of the gesture at a time when the country faces the toughest challenge on the financial front from foreign-exchange inadequacies.

"The amount of foreign assistance from Japan is higher than that of two other larger development partners -the WB and the ADB," he adds.

According to another ERD official, Japan is currently bankrolling some mega-and larger projects in Bangladesh which need lots of fund investment every year.

The developed Asian country is financing MRT-01, MRT-05 and MRT-06, the rail bridge over the Jamuna, and the third terminal at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

For the Uttara-Motijheel MRT-06, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has made a commitment of $2.1 billion.

In June 2022, JICA confirmed $979.8 million (JPY 133,399 million) in credit for building MRT-05 from Hemayetpur to Vatara in Dhaka.

For the Airport-Kamalapur MRT-01, Dhaka will receive $1.10-billion loan from Tokyo as they signed an agreement in 2021 for construction of Dhaka's first underground metro rail.

For the third-terminal project, Japan has recently signed an agreement for providing some $517.27 million (JPY 76.635 billion).

Earlier in August 2020, JICA confirmed nearly $750 million (JPY 80 billion) worth of aid in the first installment for the same project.

Meanwhile, the agency provided a record $2.314 billion worth of aid in FY2022, some $1.945 billion in FY2021 and $1.69 billion in FY2020, the ERD data showed.

JICA's support has been on the rise since FY2018 when it disbursed $1.54 billion in foreign assistance, up by $899 million from FY2017.

Japan disbursed $1.195 billion in FY2019 and $1.544 billion in FY2018.

Meanwhile, the country's biggest multilateral financier, the World Bank, disbursed $1.42 billion in FY2018, $2.03 billion in FY2019, $1.51 billion in FY2020, $1.64 billion in FY2021, $1.739 billion in FY2022 and $1.93 billion in FY2023.

The ADB released $938 million in FY2018, $1.25 billion in FY2019, $1.70 billion in FY2020, $1.30 billion in FY2021, $2.628 billion in FY2022 and $1.56 billion in FY2023.

Historically, Japan also remains the third-largest donor among its peers operating in Bangladesh. In 2012, it became the largest bilateral donor to Bangladesh.

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Japan reviewing plan to support BD's LDC graduation, 9th FYP

Japan is reviewing the Country Assistance Plan for Bangladesh, taking into account the nation's upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country status and its Ninth Five-Year Plan, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori said. "We are considering Bangladesh's needs against its developmen

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Japan reviewing plan to support BD's LDC graduation, 9th FYP
General Economic Division is currently formulating the Ninth Five-Year Plan
FE REPORT
Published :
Jul 11, 2024 09:47
Updated :
Jul 11, 2024 09:47

Japan is reviewing the Country Assistance Plan for Bangladesh, taking into account the nation's upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country status and its Ninth Five-Year Plan, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori said.

"We are considering Bangladesh's needs against its development plan and Japan's assistance policy," he said after a meeting with Planning Minister Major General (Retired) Abdus Salam at his office on Wednesday.

The General Economic Division (GED) is currently formulating the Ninth Five-Year Plan (FYP), titled 'Sustainable and Equitable Growth for Higher Middle Income'.

This plan, involving secretaries from over 15 ministries, aims to transform Bangladesh into a developed nation by 2041. The Eighth FYP, covering 2020-2025, was the first in a series of four designed to implement the government's Vision 2041.

After the meeting, the ambassador told journalists that various topics, including Bangladesh's future development plans, were discussed.

"Bangladesh is working on its Ninth Five-Year Plan. In this ambitious plan, Japan will provide financing in line with Japan's policies and Bangladesh's needs," he added.

Japan is revising its Country Assistance Plan, with specific areas of support to be determined through further discussions with Bangladesh. Japan's assistance will prioritise areas aligned with the Bangladeshi government's priorities, he added.

Planning Minister Abdus Salam called for Japanese collaboration to support the second phase of the Public Investment Management System to improve the efficiency of government spending.

Mr Salam told journalists that the ambassador visited to congratulate him and that Bangladesh has requested Japan's continued cooperation in capacity building.

"Specifically, support is sought for the second stage of the Public Investment Management System, with 40 projects already implemented with Japanese funding," said the minister.

Discussions also focused on enhancing Bangladesh's skills capacity, with Japan committed to supporting the implementation of both the current five-year plan and future development plans, he said.

While responding to a media query, Minister Salam said, "Japan is always with us. They have promised to stand by Bangladesh in various developments in the future".​

 

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Japan to continue supporting Bangladesh

Japan has expressed happiness over Bangladesh reaching political stability recently and assured of continuing its support for the development of the country, said Finance and Commerce Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday.

www.thedailystar.net

Japan to continue supporting Bangladesh
Salehuddin says

Salehuddin Ahmed

Japan has expressed happiness over Bangladesh reaching political stability recently and assured of continuing its support for the development of the country, said Finance and Commerce Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday.

"We discussed various bilateral issues, including trade, investment and employment. Japan is very happy over the political stability and interim government's leadership," he said.

The adviser made the remarks while talking to journalists after meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori at the Ministry of Finance in Dhaka.

"There are no more questions about the work. Rather, they want to extend their cooperation with more projects for the future, including metro rail projects," he said.

Ahmed said during the meeting, they sought budgetary support and more investment in the private sector to boost the foreign exchange reserves.

"We have urged them to expand their cooperation in the health and education sectors," he said.

Ahmed said Japan wanted Bangladesh to ensure a business-friendly environment and smooth access and processes in banks and customs.

"About their concerns regarding reforms, I have assured them of bringing about reforms in the banking sector and customs of the National Board of Revenue. We are already on it," he said.

"About the near future, we have told them that their existing cooperation is good and we urged them to intensify it," he said.

The government wants to relieve people's sufferings and Japan will stand by Bangladesh, he added.

"In the meeting, we have also discussed free trade agreement (FTA) and graduation from LDC (least developed country) status. Japan also assured us about their cooperation," he added.​

 

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Japan assures of cooperation for Bangladesh's economic rebuilding

The envoy acknowledged the challenges of the interim government and compared the Bangladesh situation with post-World War 2 period in Japan.

en.prothomalo.com

Japan assures of cooperation for Bangladesh's economic rebuilding
BSS
Published: 21 Aug 2024, 23: 04

Japanese ambassador in Dhaka assured Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus of Tokyo’s cooperation in rebuilding Bangladesh economy as he called on him at his Jamuna office on Wednesday.

Briefing the newsmen after the meeting chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam said Prof Yunus sought enhanced Japan’s assistance for rebuilding Bangladesh economic when Ambassador Iwama Kiminori assured him that his country would stay beside his interim government.

The envoy acknowledged the challenges of his interim government and compared the Bangladesh situation with post-World War 2 period in Japan.

“The envoy said Japan is interested to work closely with the interim government of Bangladesh . . . He congratulated Prof Yunus on his assumption as the chief adviser to the interim government,” Alam told the briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.

Kiminori, the press secretary said, focused on economic cooperation, peace and people-to-people bonding.

The chief adviser told the envoy he considered none as foe in Bangladesh saying “we are all brothers and sisters. No one is enemy”.

The press secretary said the Rohigya crisis also came up during the meeting when the chief adviser said the repatriation of the forcibly displaced people was the only solution to the crisis.

“He sought more Japanese humanitarian assistance for Rohingyas,” Alam said.​