Bangladesh and Japan have signed a new employment agreement, paving the way for recruitment of Bangladeshi workers to Japan from 1 April 2027.
Today, I held a summit meeting with Prime Minister @trahmanbnp of Bangladesh, who is currently visiting Japan. As a friend who shares values such as “democracy” and the “rule of law,” I was truly delighted to personally congratulate Prime Minister Rahman on his inauguration.
This will not end well. Please read the whole thing below the fold.
In other news:
There is active resistance against the Islamic expansion project in Japan:
A 37-year-old farm worker named Ryotaro Ishii burned down the only mosque in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, on the night of February 28.
It was his third fire in 13 days.
On February 15 he torched the office and home of a Pakistani-run company in the same neighborhood, and a worker jumped from a window to escape.
On February 23 he tried to burn a second Pakistani business about 400 meters from the mosque.Police arrested him in May, and on September 24 he stood in Sapporo District Court and admitted all of it.
His reasons, in his own words: foreigners had walked onto the farm where he worked, his chainsaw disappeared the day before, and he had been watching online videos about foreigners.“I got angry and thought I’d teach them a lesson,” he told the judge.
The damage came to about ¥20 million, roughly $130,000.
Prosecutors want nine years, and his lawyer asked for far less.
— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) October 26, 2026
Japan will strongly support the nation-building efforts of the Rahman administration, which was formed following “democratic general elections.” Today, from this perspective, we discussed cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan. Bangladesh is an important partner in realizing a “free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).”
On this occasion, we confirmed our commitment to advancing the “Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt” initiative—commonly known as “BIG-B”—which serves as the cornerstone of cooperation between our two countries, by evolving it into a new strategic cooperation initiative with Prime Minister Rahman called “Sharing Prosperity BIG-B.”
From Prime Minister Rahman, I heard about how Japan has walked the path of a “peace-loving nation” and was among the first to recognize Bangladesh’s independence, making Japan a special presence for the people of Bangladesh; he also expressed his gratitude for the broad-ranging support and cooperation extended by the Japanese government and people across various fields.
Bangladesh, which connects Southeast Asia and South Asia, holds immense importance for Japan’s economy, including its great potential as a young, massive market of 170 million people. Under our two countries’ “strategic partnership”—and in light of the “Joint Statement by the Leaders” announced today—we will work together through government and private-sector initiatives between our nations to achieve “Together, Strongly, and Prosperously.” Toward peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, I will closely collaborate with Prime Minister Rahman.