Japanese envoy expects $10b bilateral trade

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito hopes bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Japan would be $10 billion in future, saying Bangladesh’s economy is growing every year.

The Japanese envoy expressed the hope while speaking at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Japan Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI) at a hotel in the capital on Monday evening, said a press release on Wednesday. Naoki Ito said that Bangladesh and Japan have celebrated 50 years of friendship this year and this bonding will grow more in the future. He called for focusing efforts on improving the business environment for the Japanese companies here.

Though some improvements have been made, more issues are needed to be resolved with more focus and a coordinated new approach, he said.

JBCCI President Asif A Chowdhury, Secretary General Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan and its executive members were present at the AGM.

The ambassador said the economic and business partnership between the two countries has been steady during the last 10 years, doubling the Japanese investment and tripling the number of companies. After the AGM session, the handing-over and taking-over ceremony of current Board Members to the new Board of Directors of JBCCI for Oct 2022-Sep 2024 took place.