Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh and Japan have successfully elevated the bilateral relations to a "Strategic Partnership" from the existing "Comprehensive Partnership."
"Prime Minister Kishida and I have discussed today the entire gamut of our bilateral relations. We are happy that Bangladesh and Japan have successfully elevated the bilateral relations to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ from the existing ‘Comprehensive Partnership’," she said.
The prime minister made the remarks in a joint statement after the exchanging of several instruments signed between the two sides following bilateral talks with her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.
She added, "Today, Prime Minister Kishida and I concluded the Joint Statement on ‘Strategic Partnership’. I am confident that the excellent understanding, friendship and cooperation that exist between our two peoples and our governments would grow even stronger in the years ahead.
"Our two sides have signed - agreements and memorandums which will further institutionalize our future cooperation in the areas of agriculture, customs matters, defense, ICT and cyber-security, industrial upgrading, intellectual property, ship recycling and metro rail," she said.
During the bilateral talks, the two sides discussed Rohingya issue alongside MIDI (Maheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative) and BIG-B initiative (The Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt) and economic partnership.
Sheikh Hasina said they have discussed about Rohingya crisis as the overdue presence of the Rohingyas has seriously been affecting the lives and livelihoods of the local communities in Bangladesh.
"We requested Japan to help finding a durable solution to the crisis by using its channel of communication with Myanmar," she said.
The prime minister said Dhaka and Narita are going to start direct flight this year. "We are happy to announce that the Dhaka-Narita direct flight is going to operate within this year."
She said they have also discussed the MIDI and BIG-B Initiative for the development of southern Bangladesh for connecting the Bay of Bengal and the neighbouring regions.
"We thank the Government of Japan for being our one of the largest development partners. We are looking forward to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in the days ahead."
The prime minister said, "It is always a pleasure to be in Japan - a beautiful country that is close to my heart.
"I am particularly delighted to be able to undertake my official visit to Tokyo after we have completed the 50th anniversary of establishment of our diplomatic relations."
Sheikh Hasina said that she is deeply touched by the hospitality that Prime Minister Kishida and the Government of Japan have extended to her and her delegation.
"Japan occupies a very special place in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh. Japan was among those few countries that gave early recognition to Bangladesh on 10 February 1972," she said.
She said the historic visit of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Japan in October 1973 laid the foundation of their lasting friendship.
Sheikh Hasina is visiting Japan after three years since she last visited in the country 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.
Earlier, the Bangladesh prime minister arrived in the Haneda International Airport in Tokyo around 4:45pm local time Tuesday as she left Dhaka on a 15-day official tour to Japan, the USA and the UK in the morning.
Japan welcomed the Bangladesh premier by rolling out the red carpet and also gave her the static guard of honour at the airport.
Dhaka, Tokyo sign 8 instruments
Dhaka and Tokyo Wednesday signed eight instruments on the second day of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's four-day state visit to Japan at the invitation of her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.
Those were signed on agriculture, metro rail, industrial upgrade, ship recycling, customs matters, intellectual properties, defence cooperation, ICT and cyber security cooperation by the concerned persons of the two friendly countries.
The instruments were later exchanged between Bangladesh and Japan in the presence of the prime ministers of both countries at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.
The first instrument is a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) between the Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan on agricultural cooperation for agricultural research and development and capacity building.
The second one is an agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters Cooperation to ensure the proper application of the customs laws; to prevent, investigate and repress any customs offence, and to take cooperative efforts for simplification and harmonisation of customs procedures.
The third one is MOC between the Ministry of Commerce of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan on Bangladesh-Japan Industrial Upgrading Partnership Cooperation to establish a framework to jointly explore the possibilities of upgrading Bangladesh's industries through promoting cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan at both government and private levels with a view to supporting trade performance and product diversification for smooth graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status in 2026 and ongoing efforts to be a developed country by 2041 in line with "Vision 2041."
The fourth one is Memorandum on Defence Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Government of Japan to promote and strengthen cooperation in the fields of defence dialogue, exchange of visits, education, training, courses, seminars, workshops, technology transfer, and any other agreed activities pertinent thereto.
The fifth one is Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges of Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of metro rail, cooperation on metro rail policy, laws, and regulation; technology for infrastructure, rolling stocks and systems; safety policy and management and disaster prevention measures.
The sixth one is Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and the Ministry of Industries of Bangladesh in the field of ship recycling. The Bangladesh side will make every effort to achieve required capabilities to accede and implement the Hong Kong International Convention (HKC) for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships by the end of 2023.
The Japanese side will make every effort to provide support for the development of Bangladesh in the field of ship recycling, including the establishment of a treatment, storage and disposal facility, and to assist Bangladesh to meet the requirements in provisions of the HKC.
The seventh Memorandum of Cooperation between the Japan Patent Office and the Department of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on Intellectual Property Cooperation on promotion of comprehension on the intellectual property right (IPR) systems and practices by exchanging information and practices, promoting public awareness on the importance of IPR, improvement of the IPR systems to enhance the development of industry and innovation.
The eighth one is MOC in the Field of Information and Communication Technology including Cyber Security between ICT Division, Ministry of Posts Telecommunications and Information Technology and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Chairman (Senior Secretary) of National Board of Revenue Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Waker-uz-Zaman, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, Secretary of Ministry of Industry Zakia Sultana and State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak signed the instruments respectively from the Bangladesh side.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday met Emperor of Japan Naruhito in Tokyo on the second day of her visit to Japan.
"The premier attended an audience with the emperor at the Imperial Palace at 3 local time," PM's Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Hossain told BSS.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation chairman, JICA president, JETRO chairman, and Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League president also paid separate calls on the prime minister at her place of residence, Akasaka Palace here.
