PM to visit Japan
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to visit Japan from October 26 to 29, with Dhaka and Tokyo working to finalise a manpower agreement that could be signed during his first bilateral visit to the country.
The four-day official visit will take place at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, according to Foreign Ministry and diplomatic sources.
The planned visit is expected to give particular focus to the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, as Japan seeks to expand its foreign workforce and Bangladesh looks to increase access to the Japanese labour market.
Tarique Rahman and Takaichi are scheduled to hold bilateral talks in Tokyo, while the Bangladesh prime minister is also expected to meet Emperor Naruhito. The dates and planned visit were also reported by multiple diplomatic sources on Tuesday.
Officials said manpower exports, Japanese investment, trade and energy cooperation are expected to feature prominently in the talks as the two countries seek to deepen their Strategic Partnership.
Several memorandums of understanding and agreements are being discussed ahead of the visit, diplomatic sources said.
Among the proposed agreements, an MoU on sending Bangladeshi workers to Japan is at an advanced stage of negotiations and could be signed during the prime minister’s visit if the two sides reach a final agreement.
The issue has gained significance as Bangladesh seeks to expand access to Japan’s labour market amid growing Japanese demand for foreign workers.
Japan announced last year that it planned to recruit at least 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over five years.
Bangladesh and Japan also signed two MoUs in Tokyo in May 2025 aimed at developing skilled manpower for the Japanese market.
Since then, Dhaka has sought to accelerate recruitment by expanding Japanese-language and technical training and addressing procedural barriers facing Bangladeshi workers.
The government has also established a dedicated Japan Cell under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The ministry says Bangladesh plans to send 100,000 workers to Japan annually in response to Japanese demand, with opportunities primarily under the Technical Intern Training Programme, Specified Skilled Worker scheme and professional employment categories.
Tarique Rahman has also made expansion of the Japanese labour market a priority.
During a meeting with a special adviser to the Japanese prime minister in July, he urged Tokyo to recruit more skilled Bangladeshi workers and sought greater Japanese cooperation in skills development and investment.
The upcoming visit is therefore expected to review progress on those initiatives and explore ways to translate existing commitments into greater numbers of Bangladeshi workers entering Japan.
The invitation for Tarique to visit Japan was formally conveyed on behalf of Takaichi during recent high-level exchanges between the two governments.
The Japanese side reiterated the invitation during bilateral consultations, while Bangladesh invited Takaichi to visit Dhaka at a mutually convenient time.
Foreign Ministry officials said the two prime ministers would discuss ways to expand economic cooperation, with Bangladesh particularly interested in attracting further Japanese investment.
Japan is already one of Bangladesh’s major development partners and has been involved in large infrastructure projects.
The two countries have increasingly sought to move their relationship beyond traditional development assistance towards trade, investment, skills and strategic cooperation.
