Home ›› 10 Feb 2022 ›› Editorial
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Bangladesh Japan diplomatic ties. Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, Japan has been consistently participating in the development process of Bangladesh. Japan maintains good relations with Bangladesh and the people of Japan have a strong affinity towards Bangladesh. Japan, the first among industrialized nations, recognized Bangladesh on 10th February 1972. Though relations of Bangladesh with other countries and regions changed dramatically depending on international politics and fluctuating economic relations, Japan has consistently maintained very significant, effective and stable relations characterized by mutual trust and cordial friendship with Bangladesh. Japan has been actively committed to Bangladesh’s development efforts.
The epitome of existing mutual understanding and cordial relations between the people of Bangladesh and Japan has a historical background. According to Professor Tsuyoshi Nara, one of the earliest evidence of close contacts between the two peoples goes back to around four hundred years when Japanese fine artists carried back a widely used colour from Bengal to Japan– which is still known as Bengaru (Bengal) colour. The foundation of this bonding between the two nations is established on four commonalities – food habit as people of both countries are fond of rice and fish, religious affiliation as Buddhism migrated to Japan from this land, anthropological affinity as they look quite similar in physical appearance and natural harmony as both land have mountains and sea, rivers and greenery. Close contacts between these two nations go back to the early years of the twentieth century, when Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1942), who visited Japan six times and Tenshin Okakura (1862-1913), a distinguished Japanese fine arts scholar, and Taikan Yokoyama, a Japanese master of painting, profoundly affected and influenced each other's work through their friendship. During the hundred years of twentieth century only Bengali and Japanese writers got Nobel prize in literature from Asia-one is a Bengali, Rabindranath Tagore in 1913 and two others are Japanese Yansunary Kawabata (1899 -1972) in 1968 and Kenjaburey Oe (1935-) in 1994.
Close political relations between the two countries cemented in the perspectives of anti British Revolutionary Movement, particularly through Rash Behari Bose, a Bengali revolutionary leader. Japan became the main centre of the Bengali revolutionaries in exile. On 16th February 1942, General Tojo, the then Prime Minister of Japan in a declaration supported the cause of Indian independence. Japan had active support regarding the creation of "Azad Hind Fouj" by Rash Behari Bose and with the taking over the post of Commander in Chief of AHF by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945). An event of the World War II attracted the attention of the Japanese people very respectfully towards the Bengali, when Dr Radha Binode Paul (1876-1967), the lone Judge of the International Military Court (Tokyo 1946-48) did not consider Japan guilty of war crimes. Dr Justice Paul born in Salimpur of Kushtia district in present Bangladesh, was the Justice of the Calcutta High Court (1941-43) and then the Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University (1943-44) was appointed one of the Judges of the Military Court. This historical verdict of Justice Paul aroused a sense of relief, courage and strength in the minds of the Japanese people.
As Tagore, Bose and Paul all were Bengalis, the Japanese people have had a special regards, respects and fellow feeling for the people of Bengal compared to people of other regions in India. After the recovery from Second World War Japanese economic assistance and investment came to the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) before any other part of the sub-continent. In 1971 the Japanese people and the government became very sympathetic and helpful in the matter of freedom struggle of Bangladesh, though at that time Japan was an ardent ally of USA. Immediately after the recognition Japan dispatched an economic mission under leadership of Takeshi Hayakawa (1917-1982) to Bangladesh to stand by her in rebuilding and rehabilitating the war ravaged economy.
Japan is one of the richest countries in the world and an important development partner of Bangladesh. The country is a significant source of foreign aid to Bangladesh and a member of G-7 countries. Bangladesh is an important source of raw materials for Japan and also a significant place for investment. Japan and Bangladesh has been maintaining cordial relationships in an atmosphere of goodwill and cooperation during the last five decades. This relationship is being strengthened and reinforced through bilateral relations between the two countries. Despite asymmetry in status and economic power, Japan-Bangladesh relations illustrate successful and harmonious relations between a developed and a developing country. It is unique that during the past five decades, Japan and Bangladesh have consistently maintained friendly and productive relations despite regime changes in both countries.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Japan, Japan has been extending its aid assistance to Bangladesh. Japanese ODA for Bangladesh has been focused less conditional and favourable to the development and realization of Bangladesh’s aim for self-reliance and poverty alleviation and development of infrastructure. When we look at the aid commitment and disbursement position of Japan’s ODA to Bangladesh, it reveals a vivid picture of Japan’s leading trend of Japanese participation in the development process of Bangladesh. At the reconstruction and rehabilitation stage the participation was providing ODA to Bangladesh, initially more in the form of Food Aid, Commodity Aid and Project Aid. Among the 20 major international donors providing economic assistance to Bangladesh, Japan stands just after IDA (International Development Association) but bilaterally Japan is the largest development partner of Bangladesh. Japan, the second largest economy and technologically the most advanced nation in the world, has been able to project its positive image as the leading development partner of Bangladesh. Over the years, the relationship and economic cooperation between these two Asian countries have been growing stronger and stronger. Since 1985 Bangladesh has ranked first as the recipient of Japan’s Grant Aid (roughly 10 per cent of Japan’s total grant aid) with a moderate rate of increase annually.
The writer is a former Secretary to the Government and ex Chairman, NBR. He can be contacted at
