Japan will start negotiations with Bangladesh toward signing a bilateral free trade agreement as part of efforts to boost economic cooperation with the South Asian nation, the government said Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a regular news conference that Bangladesh, which he calls a "traditional Japan-friendly country," has increasingly become an attractive investment destination for domestic companies.

Strengthening bilateral relations with Bangladesh is expected to help promote a "free and open Indo-Pacific," the top government spokesman said, referring to a vision advocated by Japan in a veiled bid to counter China's growing presence in the region.

Tokyo and Dhaka have been arranging to hold the first round of the talks at an appropriate time, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said, with Hayashi saying Bangladesh is located at a "strategically important position for Japan."

Source: Nippon.com

BDST: 1558 HRS, MAR 12, 2024
MN/SMS