 | ||
Bangladesh–Japan relations (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ-জাপান সম্পর্ক, Japanese: 日本とバングラデシュの関係) were established on 10 February 1972. As of 2011, the bilateral annual trade of these two countries was US$500–700 million.
The cultural relation between Bangladesh and Japan which was lost during the Partition of 1947 got activated during mid-1950 when the Consular Mission of Japan(CMJ) in Dhaka started to make contact with people-to-people.
In a BBC World Poll, 71% of Bangladesh had a favorable view of Japan, making Bangladesh one of the most pro-Japanese countries in the world.
Trade and investment
Japan is Bangladesh's 11th-largest export market; as of 2005, imports from Bangladesh make up 26% of all Japanese imports from the least developed countries, second only to those from Cambodia. Common imports from Bangladesh to Japan include leather goods, ready-made garments, and shrimp. By 2004, Japan had become Bangladesh's fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment, behind the United States, United Kingdom, and Malaysia. Japan is also a significant source of development aid to Bangladesh.
Japan's political goals in its relationship with Bangladesh include gaining support for their bid to join the United Nations Security Council, and securing markets for their finished goods.
In 2001, there were about 9,500 Bangladeshis in Japan. Japan recognized the People's Republic of Bangladesh on February 10, 1972, soon after its independence. Both parties celebrated thirty years of relations in 2002.
Seven Japanese nationals died in the 1 July 2016 Dhaka Attacks by Islamist militants. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said “I feel profound anger that so many innocent people have lost their lives in the cruel and nefarious terrorism.”