United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Tuesday said Bangladesh's strategic geographic location at the junction of South Asia and ASEAN offers Japanese investors a unique opportunity, noting that investment in Bangladesh could give Japan access to a regional market of more than 3 billion consumers. “Bangladesh is not just a promising investment destination but a strategic economic bridge between South Asia and ASEAN,” Bobby said while addressing the Bangladesh Investment Promotion Seminar in Osaka, jointly organised by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Bangladesh Embassy in Japan, and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The state minister said progress on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Bangladesh and Japan, along with the establishment of a special economic zone for Japanese investors, would elevate bilateral economic ties to a new height. He said these initiatives would play a groundbreaking role in expanding bilateral trade and investment and would ensure a more favourable environment for Japanese investors. Referring to Japan's Meiji Restoration, Bobby described it as an exemplary case of national transformation through education, technology, industrialisation and visionary leadership, adding that Bangladesh wants to build its future economy by drawing on Japan's development experience through knowledge, technology, innovation, productivity and skilled human resource development. He said Bangladesh's economy currently stands at more than $500 billion, having maintained growth above 6 percent for a long period and staying above 4.5 percent despite global economic challenges. “The government aims to elevate Bangladesh to a $1 trillion economy by 2034.” The state minister said Bangladesh's biggest competitive strength lies in its workforce of more than 70 million young people. He noted that with per capita income crossing $3,000, the domestic market is rapidly expanding and purchasing power is rising, creating new opportunities for foreign investors. Bobby said bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Japan currently stands at around $3.5 billion, with both countries aiming to raise it to $10 billion in the coming years. He identified machinery and light engineering, industrial components, automobile and electric vehicle (EV) parts, electronics, pharmaceuticals, API and medical equipment, diversified jute products, agro-processing, food security, cold-chain logistics, renewable energy, port and logistics infrastructure, industrial park development, robotics, education technology and skilled human resource development as promising sectors for Japanese investment. He also pointed to the potential for partnership with organisations such as Artec in education technology and skills development. Bobby said there is immense potential for cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan in education, skills development, healthcare and medical tourism. “Bangladesh's young, educated and skilled workforce can play a significant role in meeting Japan's growing labour shortage and the needs of its ageing population, creating scope for long-term partnership in skills development, technical training and employment between the two countries.” The state minister thanked Japan, including JICA, for working for decades as one of Bangladesh's most trusted development partners in infrastructure, education, human resource development and economic progress through various bilateral initiatives. Bangladesh and Japan are now entering a new era based on investment, trade, technology, innovation and shared prosperity, Bobby said, calling on Japanese businesses and investors to become long-term partners in Bangladesh's growth journey. Investing in Bangladesh, he said, means not just entering one country's market but a strategic opportunity to access a vast regional market of more than 3 billion consumers.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday visited the earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan as residents began clearing debris from damaged homes while facing scorching temperatures and ongoing water shortages. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu last Tuesday, killing 38 people, according to prefectural officials. Among the victims was a person who apparently died from heat stroke while sheltering inside a car. Authorities are still investigating the cause of another death. Residents placed piles of rubble, broken furniture and damaged household appliances outside their homes for collection. Construction of temporary housing also began in the towns of Uki and Hikawa for people displaced by the disaster. More than 46,000 households were still without running water on Monday, while many communities were also experiencing fuel shortages. The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast temperatures to approach 40 degrees Celsius, raising concerns over heat-related illnesses. More than 8,500 people remained in emergency shelters, including community centres, school gymnasiums and classrooms, many of which lack air conditioning. Others continued to stay in cars parked near town halls and parks or outside their damaged homes. Disaster experts have long warned that overcrowded shelters with limited sanitation and privacy can make conditions more difficult for displaced people. During her visit, Takaichi toured one of the area's better-equipped shelters, which had cardboard beds, partitions and air conditioning. However, the visit drew criticism on social media, with some users saying it did not reflect the conditions in most evacuation centres. Meanwhile, a local retailer acknowledged that it had instructed two employees, who later died in an explosion at a collapsed shopping mall, to return to the building to secure the day's sales proceeds. Executives of Habita, which operated a store inside the collapsed Aeon Mall in Kashima, attended the funeral wake of 22-year-old employee Kurumi Otake on Sunday and apologised to her family. Company sales manager Goji Yuse admitted the employees had been asked to return to the store if it was safe to place the money in a secure safe. "My daughter is not coming back," Otake's mother told company officials through tears. The mall operator believes the explosion was caused by a gas leak after about 3,000 shoppers had already been evacuated following the earthquake, though some employees remained inside the building. Rescue teams pulled five survivors from the rubble and recovered the bodies of seven others. Authorities said the earthquake injured 114 people, destroyed around 700 homes and damaged more than 11,300 buildings across Kumamoto Prefecture.

The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan has risen to 18 as soldiers and emergency workers continued searching through collapsed buildings and debris for survivors, authorities said Wednesday. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto region on Kyushu, Japan's southern main island, on Tuesday, leaving at least 62 people injured, including six critically, according to the prefectural government. Officials warned the number of casualties could increase as search operations continue. Rescuers worked in sweltering heat to search damaged homes and commercial buildings, though authorities said it remained unclear how many people were still missing. One of the hardest-hit locations was an Aeon Mall shopping centre in Kashima city, where thousands of shoppers were present when the quake struck. The company said about 3,000 customers were evacuated before a gas explosion occurred in another section of the mall. The mall's second floor collapsed, trapping several people. Aeon President Akio Yoshida said four people were confirmed dead at the site, while three others remained missing. "We take it seriously that an explosion happened and precious lives were lost," Yoshida told a news conference. Elsewhere, a collapsed chimney at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in nearby Yatsushino killed five workers and injured others. Authorities said seven people were rescued from the debris, while four remained trapped. In the first reported foreign fatality, a Vietnamese technical intern was killed after a crane collapsed at the factory where he worked. Seven other Vietnamese interns escaped safely, while the wife of one worker was injured when a wall fell and was receiving hospital treatment. The earthquake also disrupted essential services, leaving nearly 34,900 households without electricity and about 15,000 without running water. More than 8,800 residents took shelter at over 400 evacuation centres, where authorities were installing additional power sources to provide air conditioning. Japan's Self-Defense Forces joined rescue teams in the search operation, assisted by firefighters from Taiwan. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government was making every effort to locate survivors and deliver food and other emergency supplies to the worst-hit areas. Bullet train services remained suspended, while some flights were canceled despite the reopening of Aso Kumamoto Airport. Kumamoto was also devastated by a major earthquake in 2016 that killed at least 50 people. Japan is among the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

Japan's space agency successfully carried out the first test flight of its experimental reusable rocket on Saturday, marking an important step toward developing cheaper space launches and strengthening its position in the global space industry. The reusable vehicle, known as RV-X, lifted off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Noshiro Testing Center in northeastern Japan. During the test, the rocket rose vertically, hovered, moved sideways and then landed safely after a flight lasting less than one minute. The launch was livestreamed by NVS, a Japanese space enthusiasts' group. According to Takashi Ito, JAXA's reusable rocket project manager, the test went as planned. The rocket climbed to a height of 11 metres (36 feet), moved 16 metres (52 feet) horizontally while maintaining an upright position, and then landed successfully. The test is part of Japan's efforts to develop reusable rocket technology that can significantly reduce launch costs, similar to the system used by Elon Musk's SpaceX for several years. JAXA hopes the technology will eventually support the development of a reusable successor to Japan's current H3 rocket, which is designed for a single launch. The successful test came a day after Chinese state media reported that China had recovered the first stage of a rocket for the first time following a launch. Japan's H3 rocket was introduced as a more affordable replacement for the highly reliable H-2A rocket. However, officials say further cost reductions will be necessary for Japan to compete effectively in the growing global launch market. The Japanese government considers a reliable and commercially competitive launch system essential for both the country's space programme and national security. JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are jointly developing the RV-X. The rocket measures 7.3 metres (23.9 feet) in length and 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) in diameter. It is equipped with a more durable engine and four shock-absorbing landing legs designed for repeated use. Ito said the rocket's engine has already completed 165 combustion tests, demonstrating its durability. JAXA is also working with partners in France and Germany on reusable rocket technology. Future test flights of the RV-X are expected to reach altitudes of around 100 metres (328 feet) as development continues.

Lee Jae Myung and Sanae Takaichi held their fourth meeting in about six months on Tuesday, as the two leaders moved to strengthen relations between their countries amid growing regional and global challenges. Lee hosted Takaichi in his hometown of Andong, a southeastern city known for its traditional folk village recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In January, the two leaders met in Takaichi’s hometown of Nara, making it the first time sitting leaders of the two countries have visited each other’s hometowns. South Korea’s presidential office said the summit was expected to build greater trust between the two leaders. Before the talks, Takaichi said she hoped to expand cooperation under difficult geopolitical conditions, including tensions in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. The meeting focused on economic and energy cooperation, the Iran war and broader bilateral relations. Experts said the talks were likely to proceed smoothly because both sides are currently prioritizing practical cooperation over historical disputes. “Both countries are focusing more on areas of cooperation than on contentious issues,” said Choi Eunmi of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. South Korea and Japan are major allies of the United States, but their relationship has often been strained by unresolved issues stemming from Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Relations began improving in 2023 when the previous governments agreed to set aside some historical disagreements and work together on shared concerns, including US-China rivalry, supply chain risks and North Korea’s nuclear programme. When Lee and Takaichi took office last year, some analysts feared their differing political views could weaken ties. Instead, the two leaders have maintained close cooperation. In August last year, Lee became the first South Korean president to choose Japan as the destination for his first bilateral summit. At the end of their January meeting, Lee and Takaichi joined an informal drumming session featuring songs by BTS, including “Dynamite.” Analysts say the leaders are working more closely because they face mounting challenges, including President Donald Trump’s America First policies and economic disruption caused by the Iran war. Both South Korea and Japan have pledged major investments in the United States, but Trump’s tariff policies and transactional approach to security have raised concerns in both countries. Despite the recent improvement, experts warn that unresolved historical issues, including wartime forced labour and sexual slavery, could still trigger tensions if not properly addressed. Choi said the two governments are avoiding public debate on those issues, but there is no guarantee they will not resurface in the future.

Asian stock markets were mixed on Wednesday as excitement over artificial intelligence-related shares eased and concerns over the ongoing conflict involving Iran continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.8 percent in afternoon trading, while Kospi in South Korea jumped 2.7 percent, recovering from earlier losses linked to uncertainty over possible government measures involving AI company profits. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.5 percent. Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong was little changed, while Shanghai Composite Index in China gained 0.6 percent. Market analysts said strong corporate earnings and continued interest in AI stocks are still supporting markets, but rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions are making investors more cautious. Oil prices slipped in early trading but remained far higher than before the conflict in the Middle East intensified. Analysts said the disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has added to concerns about global energy supplies. On Wall Street overnight, the S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent from its record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.1 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.7 percent. Technology and chip stocks led the decline. Intel fell 6.8 percent, while Micron Technology lost 3.6 percent. In the bond market, U.S. Treasury yields rose, reflecting expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged to control inflation. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar strengthened slightly against the Japanese yen, while the euro edged lower against the dollar. Investors are now watching developments in the Middle East and signals from central banks for clues about the direction of global markets.

Japan will host the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) 60th Annual Meeting in Aichi-Nagoya from May 2 to 5, 2027. The event will coincide with ADB’s 60th anniversary, marking six decades of partnership since the bank’s establishment. “It is fitting to mark six decades of partnership and transformation in Japan, a founding member and one of our largest shareholders,” said ADB President Masato Kanda. “The 60th Annual Meeting will be more than a celebration. It will be a moment to look to the future. I have high expectations for great success at this milestone event.” The Future Host Country Event, which showcased the tradition, culture, and high technology of Aichi-Nagoya, was held at ADB’s Annual Meeting in Samarkand. It was joined by Japan's Deputy Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs Shuichi Hosoda, Mayor of Nagoya City Ichiro Hirosawa, and Vice Governor of Aichi Prefecture Shinichiro Furumoto. During the Samarkand meeting, Minister of Finance of Japan Satsuki Katayama assumed the role of Chair of the Board of Governors for the upcoming year. Themed Forging Partnerships, Driving Transformation, the Aichi-Nagoya meeting will provide a platform to reflect on Asia and the Pacific’s remarkable progress since ADB was established in Manila in December 1966, and to discuss the future of the region. The Annual Meeting is ADB’s premier gathering, providing an opportunity for Governors from ADB’s members to discuss the complex development challenges facing Asia and the Pacific while offering guidance on the bank’s administrative, financial, and operational directions. Thousands of participants, including finance ministers, central bank governors, private sector leaders, international organizations, civil society, and media regularly join the meeting. Japan’s longstanding commitment to ADB is reflected in its history of hosting the Annual Meeting every decade since the inaugural gathering in Tokyo in 1966, with the most recent one being in Yokohama in 2017. Beyond hosting, Japan remains a cornerstone of ADB’s operational capacity, serving as one of the bank’s largest shareholders. Furthermore, Japan has contributed and committed significant resources to ADB’s trust funds. This includes the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, the bank’s largest single-donor trust fund, which drives critical poverty reduction and social development activities across the region. Founded in 1966, ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet.

Japanese Prime Minister’s special envoy and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister SUZUKI Norikazu on Wednesday expressed his country’s interest in expanding cooperation with Bangladesh in technology and agriculture sectors. During a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at his Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office in the afternoon, he also stressed the need to effectively advance the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Bangladesh and Japan, said a PMO release. The Japanese minister, who is leading a high-level delegation, also invited the Prime Minister, on behalf of Japan, to visit their country. In response, the Prime Minister expressed hope of making an official visit at a convenient time. During the meeting, SUZUKI Norikazu congratulated Tarique Rahman on assuming office of Prime Minister on behalf of the Japanese government and expressed hope for taking Bangladesh-Japan relations to new heights. He also showed interest in increasing exports of Japanese food products to Bangladesh. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh and Japan are long-tested friends, noting that one of the current government’s top priorities is creating employment opportunities for young people. He called for boosting Japanese investment in the agriculture, electronics and automobile sectors.

Japan on Tuesday removed its long-standing ban on exporting lethal weapons, marking a significant shift from its post-World War II pacifist stance as it looks to strengthen its defense industry amid rising concerns over China and North Korea. The Cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi approved new guidelines that pave the way for a wider range of arms exports, including domestically developed warships, combat drones and other military equipment. The move has been welcomed by key defense partners such as Australia and has drawn interest from countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. US Ambassador to Japan George Glass described it as a “historic step” that would strengthen defense cooperation between allies. However, China strongly criticized the decision, warning that the international community would oppose what it called Japan’s shift toward militarism. Critics within Japan also argue the move goes against the country’s pacifist constitution and could raise global tensions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the new policy aims to enhance Japan’s security and contribute to regional and global stability as the security environment evolves. He added that the government will promote defense equipment transfers strategically to strengthen the country’s industrial base. Japan has traditionally restricted arms exports under its pacifist constitution, though recent changes allowed limited exports for non-combat purposes such as rescue, transport and surveillance. The new rules remove those restrictions, allowing exports of items like fighter jets, missiles and destroyers. Initially, such exports will be limited to 17 countries that have defense equipment and technology agreements with Japan. Each deal will require approval from the National Security Council, with strict monitoring of how the equipment is used. Officials said Japan will maintain strict controls and will not supply lethal weapons to countries engaged in active conflict, though exceptions could be considered. Japan began easing its export rules in 2014 by allowing non-lethal military supplies. In 2023, it further relaxed restrictions to permit exports of certain licensed weapons, enabling it to supply US-designed Patriot missiles to the United States. The revised policy also supports joint development projects, including a next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy, and a major naval deal with Australia. Under that agreement, Japan will supply advanced frigates and collaborate on building additional vessels. Japan is also working to expand its domestic defense industry, which has struggled in the past due to limited demand. With growing security concerns involving China, North Korea and Russia, the government is encouraging investment in defense production, including drones and dual-use technologies. Officials say the new export framework will help deepen defense cooperation with partners and strengthen regional deterrence. Takaichi emphasized that Japan remains committed to its pacifist principles while adapting to new security challenges. Several countries, including New Zealand and the Philippines, have already shown interest in Japanese defense equipment. Meanwhile, NATO representatives recently visited Japan to explore closer cooperation in defense and technology.

A strong earthquake measuring a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 struck off northern Japan on Monday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami alert for the region. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake hit off the Sanriku coast at around 4:53 pm (0753 GMT), at a depth of about 10 kilometers beneath the seabed. Public broadcaster NHK reported that tsunami waves of up to 3 meters could reach coastal areas shortly.