Bangladesh and Japan will hold their sixth Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) in Tokyo on Thursday, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties and strategic partnership ahead of Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus's upcoming visit to Japan.

Bangladesh’s delegation will be led by Foreign Ministry Secretary (East) Dr Md Nazrul Islam, while Japan's Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Akihiro Tsukii will represent the host country.

The talks will cover a wide range of issues including economic and defense cooperation, Japanese investment, the Indo-Pacific strategy, the Rohingya crisis, and regional security.

Japanese Ambassador Saida Shinichi, in meetings with senior Bangladeshi officials, said that the importance of boosting economic ties and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting major infrastructure projects like Dhaka’s metro rail lines.

The FOC comes ahead of Dr Yunus’s scheduled official visit to Japan on May 28. The last round of consultations was held in Dhaka in June 2024.

MN/