PM Tarique Rahman Must Remain Cautious and Vigilant During Japan Visit

Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman will visit Japan from October 26 to October 29. Japanese Prime Minister Ms. Sanae Takaichi invited him. This is his first visit to Japan since he formed the government. Talks will focus on expanding trade, attracting Japanese investment, energy security, technology transfer, and exporting skilled workers.

He will pay a courtesy call on Emperor Naruhito. He also plans to hold talks with Japanese businesspeople and investors. Observers say the diplomatic ties between the two countries have not stayed limited to a donor and receiver bond over five decades. They have grown into a new model of strategic partnership. A mix of education, economy, and political economy matters equally for both countries.

Observers say this visit will deepen Japan’s ties with Bangladesh and open many paths for future cooperation. Japan has kept helping Bangladesh in many fields. These include infrastructure, trade, investment, energy, technology, human resources, and social security. This help plays a key role in moving the development journey of Bangladesh forward.

Japan has made a big contribution to the development infrastructure of Bangladesh. It has given money and technical help to key projects. These include the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge, the Karnaphuli Tunnel, the Dhaka Metro Rail, the Matarbari Deep Sea Port, the Jamuna Railway Bridge, and the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. These projects help modernize the transport system, raise the capacity to carry goods, and grow business activity.

We welcome Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman’s visit to Japan. But he should not raise or discuss anything on this visit that could cause trouble for Bangladesh in geopolitics. He should limit the talks to growing the areas of cooperation with Japan as a friendly nation. Japan is the fourth biggest economic power in the world. Its economy is about 6.3 to 6.7 trillion US dollars, and its GDP is 4.38 trillion dollars.

On the other hand, by the 2026 count, China’s economy is about 20.85 trillion US dollars, which is second in the world. By purchasing power, it is about 44.29 trillion dollars, which is first in the world. These numbers show that China is the second biggest economic power after the United States. Japan is far behind China in economic strength.

We present this comparison of China and Japan to make a point. The Prime Minister should not discuss anything in Japan that could strain the deep economic ties between Bangladesh and China. China is also the top development partner of Bangladesh. A cold and delicate relationship has always existed between Japan and China. So we must see to whom Bangladesh’s interest is greater.

In the words of economists, China is the goose that lays the golden eggs for the Bangladesh economy, and there is no other choice. The Prime Minister visited China last June, and the ties between the two countries rose to a rare height. That visit remains a historic milestone. It opened the door to building the China Myanmar Bangladesh Economic Corridor for the economic development of Bangladesh.

Analysts say this corridor will open a golden door to huge chances for Bangladesh’s domestic and international economy and connectivity. Bangladesh will become one of the key economic centers of Southeast Asia. The people of the country are also waiting eagerly for this corridor to be built fast. Given this, it needs no explaining to whom Bangladesh’s interest matters most.

Diplomatic experts say Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman should keep this in mind during the Japan visit. The visit must not create room for strain with China. We know that China became angry in 2004, under the BNP government of that time, when Taiwan opened the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Dhaka. That was unwanted. The government later closed it under pressure from China.

Bangladesh has backed the One China policy since the start of its diplomatic ties. We must stay careful that nothing goes against this policy during the Prime Minister’s Japan visit. Observers say Japan is our friendly nation, and there is no doubt about that. Its help in the economy, infrastructure, and other sectors of our country cannot be denied. We must get what we need from Japan.

But in getting our interest from Japan, our good ties with China must not suffer. We must remember that we cannot upset the one to whom our main interest belongs.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Humayun Kabir said the top priority of the Prime Minister’s Tokyo visit will be to strengthen bilateral ties, deepen economic partnership, and raise investment. He said the aim is to shape future economic chances from the long friendship of the two countries.

We also think the talks with Japan should stay within shared interests. We should not keep any issue that could stir debate in geopolitics. Along with growing Japan’s help in trade, investment, energy, technology, and other sectors, we must stress giving priority to exporting workers.

The number of older people in Japan is rising, so the number of working people is falling. About one third of the country’s roughly 123 million people are now old, which is among the highest in the big population countries of the world. So the country needs working hands. The Prime Minister should discuss on this visit how to make Japan one of the main markets for Bangladeshi workers.

We must also make sure that Japanese investment does not face red tape or other barriers. Bangladesh should not get tangled in complex geopolitical matters outside its economic, trade, and development ties with Japan. Such matters could cause debate and strain ties with China. Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman should stay careful and alert on this.