Japan has extended a grant of 500 million Japanese Yen (approximately $3.3 million) to Bangladesh under the "Fourth Primary Education Development Programme" (PEDP4), aiming to enhance the quality of primary education in the country. The Exchange of Notes formalising the grant was signed on Thursday by IWAMA Kiminori, the Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, and Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) under the Ministry of Finance. Bangladesh calls for finalizing BIMSTEC FTA A relevant Grant Agreement was then signed by JICA Bangladesh Office Chief Representative ICHIGUCHI Tomohide and Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador IWAMA emphasised the pivotal role of education in national development.  “Education, which develops human resources, is a crucial element for the future of any nation. Without education, there is no development of the nation,” he said. Dhaka seeks ‘comprehensive roadmap’ for Rohingya repatriation He expressed optimism that the support for PEDP4 would enable many children to access high-quality education. “It will be one element of numerous initiatives that will benefit both our nations.” With this fifth grant, Japan has provided a total of JPY 2.5 billion (approximately $16.7 million) for PEDP4, supporting various implementations to achieve the programme's objectives.

Fresh fin whale meat was auctioned in Japan on Thursday for the first time in nearly five decades, fetching prices of over $1,300 per kilogramme (2.2 lbs), as officials strive to sustain the struggling whaling industry, reports AP. This year, Japan’s Fisheries Agency included fin whales among three other whale species eligible for legal hunting, as the nation broadens commercial whaling within its waters. Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which had protected fin whales from overhunting since 1976. Whale meat fetches 'celebration prices' after Japanese hunt Officials cited stock surveys indicating sufficient recovery of fin whale populations in the North Pacific. During this season, 30 of the 60 allowed fin whales were caught, alongside a combined quota of 379 minke, Bryde's, and sei whales. Kyodo Senpaku Co., Japan’s sole large-scale whaling fleet operator, invested 7.5 billion yen ($49 million) in a new 9,300-ton whaling ship, the Kangei Maru, to demonstrate its commitment to the industry. On Thursday, 1.4 tons of fresh fin whale meat from Hokkaido were auctioned at the Sapporo fish market and at Shimonoseki, the Kangei Maru's home port. In Shimonoseki, 250 kilograms (550 lbs) of tail meat, a prized delicacy called onomi, reached the highest price of 200,000 yen ($1,312) per kilogram, according to the city’s fishery promotion department. “Larger whales are said to have better taste, so fin whales might be more delicious than other types, though I’ve never tasted it,” said Ryo Minezoe, a Shimonoseki city official. Japan’s whaling industry has faced longstanding controversy and criticism from conservationists. However, protests have diminished since Japan shifted from contentious Antarctic “research whaling,” often perceived as a guise for commercial hunts, to domestic commercial whaling. Last year, Japan’s whalers caught 294 minke, Bryde’s, and sei whales, amounting to less than 80% of the quota and fewer than what was caught in earlier Antarctic and Pacific hunts. Industry officials attribute the declining catch to climate change, while critics suggest overhunting as the root cause. Nanami Kurasawa, leader of the conservationist Dolphin & Whale Action Network, opposes hunting fin whales. She warns that fin whales nearly went extinct due to past overhunting and urges more comprehensive studies on their populations in Japanese waters. Whalers prefer larger whales for efficiency, but Kurasawa argues that a thorough investigation of stocks is necessary. Historically, whale meat was a vital protein source for Japan’s malnourished population post-World War II, peaking at 233,000 tons in 1962. However, consumption has plummeted to around 2,000 tons annually, as other meats replaced whale in diets. Officials aim to increase this to 5,000 tons to sustain the industry. Experts are sceptical about demand for whale meat in modern Japan, where it is neither affordable nor widely consumed. Nobuhiro Kishigami, a professor and expert on indigenous whaling at Osaka’s National Museum of Ethnology, noted that whale meat is mostly eaten in whaling towns, while it remains expensive and rarely consumed in Tokyo or elsewhere. “It’s more of a delicacy than a daily staple,” Kishigami said. “If it’s not accessible, tasty, and reasonably priced, it won’t sell. Without substantial government subsidies, sustaining the industry as a business would be extremely challenging.”

Japan will support Bangladesh's reform agenda, and its investors would continue to stay in Bangladesh to help boost the country's economic developments, outgoing Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori said on Wednesday. The Japanese envoy made the comments during a farewell call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka. Ambassador Kiminori praised the leadership of Professor Yunus and added that his government would cement ties with Bangladesh in three pillars of Japanese engagements, which include peace and stability, economic cooperation, and human-to-human interactions. "We'll do our best to support the three pillars," Kiminori said, reiterating Tokyo's "strong support" for the reform initiatives undertaken by the Interim Government in areas including elections. Professor Yunus thanked the outgoing ambassador for their contribution to the Bangladesh-Japan relationship. He also lauded the ties between the two countries. "The relationship has always been very strong," the Chief Adviser said. He called for more Japanese investment in Bangladesh as his government was carrying out vital reforms to attract more foreign direct investment in the country. "The presence of Japanese investors in Bangladesh sends a good message for us," he said. The Japanese envoy said, "not a single Japanese company has withdrawn" from Bangladesh after the Jully-August mass uprising. "They are willing to stay in the country," he said. General amnesty if fake freedom fighters apologise: Farooq-e-Azam He extended an invitation from Nikkei to an annual conference in Japan where the Japanese Prime Minister is expected to speak. He said the Chief Adviser could meet chief executives of top Japanese companies during the conference and invite them to invest in Bangladesh. The Japanese ambassador also appreciated the Chief Adviser's move to hold an international conference on the Rohingya issues, saying Tokyo strongly supports the meeting. The Chief Adviser reiterated his call to create a UN-guaranteed safe zone in Myanmar's western Rakhine state where the displaced communities can temporarily be relocated before they return to their homes once the conflict is over. Lamiya Morshed, principal coordinator on SDG Affairs and a senior secretary of the government, was also present during the meeting.  

A 92-year-old survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing delivered a powerful speech recounting the horrors of nuclear war as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Nihon Hidankyo, a group dedicated to nuclear disarmament. Terumi Tanaka, speaking in Oslo, detailed the devastation he witnessed, including the deaths of five family members and the charred ruins of his city, while urging the world to uphold the taboo against using nuclear weapons. Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization of Japanese atomic bomb survivors, received the award for nearly 70 years of advocacy against nuclear weapons. Their work gains urgency as geopolitical tensions rise, with nuclear powers like Russia and Israel hinting at the possibility of using such weapons. Tanaka expressed his sorrow and anger over the weakening of the nuclear taboo, which the Norwegian Nobel Committee also emphasized in its decision. Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes highlighted the increasing dangers posed by nuclear weapons, as none of the nine nuclear-armed states show significant interest in disarmament. Instead, many are modernizing their arsenals, a trend Frydnes described as a threat to global security. He called on nations, especially those bound by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to fulfill their commitments to reduce nuclear stockpiles. Read: Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Japanese organization of atomic bombing survivors Nihon Hidankyo Tanaka’s vivid recollections of the Nagasaki bombing underscored the devastating human toll of nuclear warfare. He described the blinding flash, the ensuing shock wave, and the heartbreaking aftermath of finding his loved ones’ charred remains. Reflecting on decades of survivor-led efforts for nuclear abolition and justice, he called for global citizens to reject nuclear weapons and pressure their governments to change policies. “The belief that nuclear weapons cannot—and must not—coexist with humanity must inspire change,” Tanaka said, urging action to prevent a repeat of such tragedies. Source: With inputs from agencies

The master plan for Matarbari, Bangladesh’s first deep-sea port, is being restructured to address evolving regional and global dynamics, Brigadier General (retd) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, said today. He shared this information after a meeting with the Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Iwama Kiminori, at the Ministry of Shipping. The adviser explained that the revised master plan aims to ensure the deep-sea port’s comprehensive security and operational readiness, adapting to the changing global trade environment. The updated strategy also includes plans to construct an international-standard dockyard at the site, further enhancing the port’s logistical and operational capabilities. He added that after completing the first phase of construction, a dedicated authority will be formed to oversee the port’s activities and streamline its management. Highlighting its strategic importance, the adviser expressed optimism that the port’s operations could commence by 2030, significantly boosting Bangladesh’s connectivity and trade prospects. Matarbari Power Plant not getting payment against power supply to national grid Dr. Sakhawat also informed that the government is working on a National Port Strategy to improve coordination and efficiency across the country’s ports. He sought JICA’s continued technical support for the development and implementation of these plans. Ambassador Iwama said that Japan is committed to supporting the Matarbari Deep-Sea Port project through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He expressed confidence that the project would be completed on schedule with collective efforts. Additionally, Dr. Sakhawat briefed the ambassador on the formation of a high-level committee to evaluate environmental standards in Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry. The committee will conduct field inspections and submit recommendations to the government. He also requested Japan’s professional and technical support for the development of marine academies in Bangladesh. The ambassador also expressed interest in collaborating on Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry. Senior officials from the Japanese Embassy and the Ministry of Shipping were present during the meeting.

A court in Beijing on Friday sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. The Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People's Court read the verdict but did not share a copy with Dong's lawyers or family. No announcement was available on the court's website or its Weibo account. The verdict named then-Japanese ambassador Hideo Tarumi and Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada as agents belonging to an espionage organization, according the family's statement. Dong had served as the deputy head of the editorial department at Guangming Daily, one of the five major state-owned papers in China. The paper was once considered more liberal than other state-backed papers. Dong also contributed to the Chinese edition of the New York Times. In his published writings, including essays as well as opinion articles, Dong had voiced his support for constitutional democracy and political reform, which later were considered to be against the stance of the Communist Party. He had contacts with foreign diplomats, scholars and other journalists as part of his decades-long career and counted Tarumi, the ambassador, as a friend. Still, his family said he knew he was always watched by state security, and therefore sought to be as open as possible while meeting his Japanese or American contacts. What to know about sudden rebel gains in Syria's long war “With Yuyu’s conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassy — or perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomat — will be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be ‘espionage organizations,’” said the family in a statement. “Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning.” The U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, condemned Dong's conviction. “Punishing Dong for exercising his freedom of speech and the press, guaranteed by the PRC’s constitution for all its citizens, is unjust.”  

Japanese officials said Wednesday they are closely watching to see if China keeps its promise to prevent further violations of Japan's airspace after explaining that an incursion by a Chinese military aircraft nearly three months ago was unintentional and caused by turbulence. Tokyo protested and sought an explanation from Beijing after a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japanese airspace off the southern main island of Kyushu on Aug. 26, prompting Japan's military to scramble fighter jets and warn the plane. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said China acknowledged the airspace violation and assured Japan that it would make efforts to prevent a recurrence. “We take note of China's explanation, and we will closely watch Chinese military activity from now on,” Hayashi said. China said the airspace violation occurred when the plane's pilot took emergency measures in response to turbulence in the area and was not intentional, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. Japanese officials did not disclose further details, such as when China provided the explanation, citing the protocol of diplomatic exchanges. Even though aircraft can encounter turbulence, such a significant deviation from a flight route is unthinkable, Japanese officials said. NHK public television reported that Japanese defense officials said they still find the airspace violation unacceptable because it was a serious breach of territorial sovereignty. A suicide car bombing at a security post in northwestern Pakistan has killed 12 troops Japanese officials are concerned about China's growing military activity around Japan's southwestern waters and airspace. It has led Tokyo to significantly reinforce its defenses in the area, which includes remote islands that are considered key to Japan's defense strategy. Japan is also worried about joint military activities between China and Russia. A Chinese survey ship violated Japanese territorial waters off a southern island in August. In September, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and two destroyers sailed between Japan’s westernmost island of Yonaguni — just east of Taiwan — and nearby Iriomote, entering Japan's “contiguous zone,” an area just outside of a country’s territorial waters in which it can still exercise some control over maritime traffic.  

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Technical Cooperation agreement with the Government of Bangladesh on “The Project for Improvement of Management Capacity of Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority” on Monday. The project aims to enhance Chattogram WASA's capacity to improve its service delivery, strategic project planning, and financial management. JICA has a longstanding commitment to collaborating with Bangladesh in the Water Supply and Sanitation sector, especially in Chattogram. JICA to assist govt in preparing power distribution plan for Dhaka The agreement was signed by MIURA Mari, Senior Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; AKM Shahabuddin, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division; Mr. AHM Kamruzzaman, Joint Secretary, Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives; andAKM Fazlullah, Managing Director, Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority. Chattogram city, the second largest city in Bangladesh, with a population of around 7 million, has historically relied heavily on groundwater for drinking water. NCDC launches national guideline on hypertension with JICA’s support JICA's support to Chattogram city began in 2003 with an engineering study in response to the severe drinking water crisis in the city. The initiative identified the need to develop surface water sources and enhance the institutional capacity of Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) to address its growing population. Over the years, JICA has supported CWASA in mitigating the water crisis, focusing on water supply capacity development and reducing non-revenue water. JICA’s supported water treatment plants supply 286 million liters daily, meeting about 60 percent of Chattogram city's demand. JICA has also conducted surveys in its sewerage sector. JICA seminar on ‘Private Sector Contribution to the SDGs’ held CWASA's services for safe water supply have improved tremendously.  However, further work is needed to provide more clean water and serve its growing population. The new Technical Cooperation is expected to maximize the benefit of CWASA's services and transform CWASA into a sustainable water sanitation service provider of international standards. This new project for CWASA focuses on improving financial management, water treatment plant operation, non-revenue water reduction, customer communication, and inter-WASA collaboration. Through these the project aims to enhance CWASA's overall management capacity, ensuring sustainable and efficient water services.

The Japanese government carried out no executions in 2023 for the first time in three years, local media reported. Currently, there are 106 inmates on death row in Japan, after three died from illness and other causes, and three others had their death sentences finalized this year, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun said, citing the Justice Ministry. Read: The year in review: Influential people who died in 2023 The law on inmate treatment stipulates that no executions will take place from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3, making any such act within the year impossible. The last execution was on July 26, 2022, when Tomohiro Kato was hanged, who was convicted of murdering seven people by driving into them or stabbing them in a random attack in Tokyo's Akihabara district in 2008. Read: Bangladesh's mobile users reach 190.36 mln 

National Migrants Day 2023 was celebrated with due importance and significance at Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo. As part of the celebration of the day, a discussion meeting was organized today (Saturday)at the embassy with the participation of representatives of staff-sending organizations, owners and representatives of remittance houses, technical interns working in Japan, specified skilled workers and part-time workers on student visas. At the beginning of the discussion program, the messages given by the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Affairs on the occasion were read out. Reception Lounge set up at Dhaka Airport for int'l observers, journalists Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan, Shahabuddin Ahmad, in his welcome speech, said that the population of the country has become a public resource today due to the proper actions and management of the government and a large number of Bangladeshis are working with reputation in more than 170 countries of the world. The ambassador thanked the remittance fighters for their important contribution to the economy of Bangladesh and urged all the Bangladeshis living in Japan to work with more patriotism, devotion and honesty for the development and reputation of the country. He said, in view of International Migrants Day and National Expatriates Day, there are several Bangladeshi expatriates in Japan have been honored as CIP (Non-Resident Bangladeshis) this year. Macron says France will sign agreement with Bangladesh to finance climate-change adaptation, loss and damage in first half of 2024 “We hope that the number will increase in this field in the future,” he said. He said the corona epidemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have adversely affected the economy of all the countries of the world including Bangladesh. He appealed to the participants of the meeting including the Bangladeshi expatriates in Japan to ensure the economic stability of their beloved motherland Bangladesh by bringing more workers from Bangladesh and by sending remittances through legal channels and ensuring the financial stability of their families by joining the universal pension system. First Secretary (Labor) Md Joynal Abedin gave a power point presentation highlighting the importance and significance of sending remittances through legal channels and joining the universal pension system, the various facilities provided by the government for migrants and the special potential of employing Bangladeshi manpower in Japan. Later, the visiting guests participated in an open discussion and expressed their commitment to work together on various aspects of sending remittances through legal channels and employing more Bangladeshi manpower in Japan in the current situation. On behalf of Bangladesh Embassy, they are assured to provide all kinds of cooperation in this work. India wants to see peaceful election in Bangladesh Two Distinguished Expatriate (CIP) Bangladeshis were honored at the program. At the end of the program, ten expatriates joined the Universal Pension System and Wage Earners Welfare Board through the One Stop Desk of the Bangladesh Embassy. Embassy officials were present on the occasion.