Data shows that migration from Bangladesh to Japan has significantly developed the character of personal relationships between Bangladeshis and Japanese, and some returnees have retained strong personal ties from the previous sojourn in Japan, according to a Japanese professor. "From the late 1980s, a considerable number of Bangladeshis started to go to Japan. Some of them have developed their families and remained in Japan, but many others have already returned home after their time in Japan," Tetsuo Mizukami, dean and professor of the College of Sociology and director of the Center for Statistics and Information at Rikkyo University, said. Read: Iran keen to enhance economic relations with Bangladesh: Envoy A Japanese team is now in Bangladesh to conduct research on Bangladeshis' migration pattern to Japan. This research project "Global Migration and Transnational Networks," commenced at the College of Sociology in 2014 April. Read: Kuwaiti envoy urged to explore investment opportunities in Bangladesh "We have been gathering empirical data by conducting questionnaire surveys and intensive interviews with these Bangladeshis who had lived in Japan and experienced Japanese social life for a long period, and have since returned to their homeland." The project seeks data about life at the grassroots level of relationships to develop a broader understanding of Bangladesh-Japan relationships, Tetsuo said.