United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the historic and landslide victory of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), noting that the Bangladesh government looks forward to working closely with her administration to strengthen Dhaka-Tokyo partnership further. “The government of Bangladesh looks forward to working closely with your administration to further strengthen our partnership, deepen economic and technological cooperation, and advance our shared priorities for mutual benefit,” he said in a message to Takaichi. Takaichi’s governing party secured a two-thirds supermajority in parliamentary elections. Feb-12 polls must be fair, with no room for bias: Prof Yunus The landslide victory was due, in large part, to the extraordinary popularity of Japan’s first female prime minister, and allowed her to pursue a significant conservative shift in Japan’s security, immigration and other policies. “On behalf of the government and the people of Bangladesh, and on my own behalf, I extend my warmest congratulations on the historic and landslide victory of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under your leadership in the election to the House of Representatives held on 8 February 2026,” Prof Yunus said. He said this decisive mandate reflects the strong confidence and trust placed in her leadership and vision by the people of Japan. “I am confident that, under your continued stewardship, Japan will further advance stability, prosperity, and constructive engagement both regionally and globally,” Prof Yunus said. He said Bangladesh attaches highest importance to its long-standing and trusted partnership with Japan. “We remain deeply appreciative of Japan's consistent support for Bangladesh's development, including our cooperation in quality infrastructure and connectivity, which has made a lasting contribution to our people and economy,” said the Chief Adviser. Prof Yunus conveyed her best wishes for her good health and success, and for the continued peace, progress, and well-being of the people of Japan. Spain’s deadly train crash saddens Prof Yunus

Japanese stocks surged on Monday as markets reacted positively to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s landslide victory in the snap general election, which media outlets described as a historic result. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index jumped more than five percent in early trading, briefly crossing the 57,000 mark for the first time. The Japanese yen also strengthened against the US dollar, while government bond prices fell. Public broadcaster NHK projected that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured 316 seats in the 465 member lower house. Together with its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, the alliance won a total of 352 seats, giving it a two thirds majority. This marks the strongest election result for a single party in post war Japan since the current parliamentary system was established in 1947. Takaichi called the snap election after becoming Japan’s first female prime minister last October through a vote by lawmakers. She sought a direct mandate from voters, a move that was widely seen as risky but ultimately paid off. The victory reverses recent political setbacks for the LDP, which had lost its majority under previous leaders. The election came at a time when Japan is facing rising living costs, weak economic growth and pressure from an ageing population. Market analysts said investors welcomed the political stability created by the decisive result. Takaichi has pledged to cut taxes, increase government spending and push pro business reforms, which helped boost market confidence. Speaking earlier, Takaichi said her priority would be reviving the economy, raising wages and addressing the cost of living crisis. She has also promised higher defence spending, stricter immigration rules and a review of foreign ownership of land. US President Donald Trump congratulated Takaichi and her coalition on what he called a landslide victory. He praised her leadership and reaffirmed strong support for Japan, one of Washington’s closest allies. Takaichi now faces the challenge of delivering economic recovery while managing strained ties with China and navigating domestic debate over her conservative views on social and gender issues.   With inputs from BBC

Japan has decided to deploy an Election Observer Mission to Bangladesh from February 9 to February 14 to support the fair implementation of the general election of Bangladesh scheduled for February 12.  The mission will be headed by Watanabe Masato, former Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh. It will consist of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh and an external expert. Bangladesh establishes formal diplomatic ties with Grenada In addition to observing the casting and counting of votes, the Mission will exchange views and information with the Bangladesh Election Commission as well as election observer missions from foreign countries and others. The Election Observer Mission will be sent as part of Japan's cooperation for the consolidation of democracy in Bangladesh in response to the Bangladesh Election Commission’s announcement to welcome international election observers, said the government of Japan. 

Bangladesh and Japan have signed an agreement over ‘transfer of defence equipment and technology’ which is expected to ensure ‘appropriate control’ over the defence equipment and technology transferred between the two countries. Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Chief Adviser’s Office of Bangladesh and Saida Shinichi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Bangladesh, signed the deal on behalf of their respective sides on Tuesday.  The agreement entered into force on February 3, officials said. The strategic partnership and long-standing friendship between the two countries have been elevated to new heights through this agreement, the ISPR said in a media release. Bangladesh approves proposal to sign EPA with Japan It mentioned that the strategic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan in South Asia will be further deepened, making an important contribution to regional stability and global security. The ISPR said the agreement is expected to further accelerate Bangladesh’s defense modernisation process. The deal establishes a legal framework for the governments of Japan and Bangladesh regarding the handling of defence equipment and technology to be transferred between the two governments in order to implement projects to be jointly determined, including those contributing to international peace and security, said the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Specifically, it stipulates procedures to determine and confirm each specific transfer as well as basic rules on the proper use of the transferred defence equipment and technology. The agreement, Japan said, will ensure appropriate control over the defence equipment and technology transferred between Japan and Bangladesh, especially regarding any subsequent transfer to a third party or any extra-purpose use.  It is expected that this agreement will contribute to closer cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan for defence equipment and technology, and maintaining and improving the production and technological bases for Japan’s defence industry, thereby contributing to the security of Japan, said the Japanese side. Quoting sources at the Armed Forces Division, the ISPR said the signing of the agreement was made possible through intensive and continuous efforts by both sides since 2023. It said the defense agreement reflects the deep mutual trust, shared vision and cooperation between the two countries, achieved through the visionary and effective diplomacy of the interim government of Bangladesh. The agreement has been executed in full compliance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and will create an institutional framework for the acquisition of advanced technology and defense equipment, as well as for joint research and development, to help establish international peace and security and protect the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. Japan, South Korea leaders drum to K-pop after summit The ISPR said the signing of this historic agreement will increase the exchange of military experts between the two countries, which is expected to play an important role in strengthening Bangladesh’s defense capabilities and implementing future action plans. According to the ISPR, the agreement is also expected to play a significant role in enhancing strategic relations and military cooperation between the two countries.

Japan’s last pair of giant pandas have returned to China, ending the country’s 50-year tradition of hosting the beloved animals. The twin pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, are leaving amid strained diplomatic relations between Japan and China over the new Japanese Prime Minister’s stance on Taiwan, making it unlikely that replacement pandas will be sent to Japan. Thousands of fans had gathered at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo to bid farewell to the pandas, who were born there in 2021. China first sent pandas to Japan in 1972 to mark the normalization of diplomatic ties. Over the years, Beijing has used pandas as a diplomatic tool, symbolizing goodwill and soft power, which can be withdrawn when relations sour. Pet dog guards owner’s body for 4 days amid freezing snowfall State broadcaster CCTV showed the pandas arriving in crates in Sichuan province, southwestern China. They are now under quarantine at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, which confirmed their safe arrival early Wednesday morning. Although pandas are often lent to other countries, China retains ownership of the animals, including any offspring.

A Japanese court has ordered North Korea to pay compensation to four people who were persuaded decades ago to move there under a state-backed resettlement scheme. The Tokyo District Court ruled on Monday that Pyongyang should pay 88 million yen, or about $570,000, to the plaintiffs. The court said their rights were violated after they were misled into believing North Korea was a “paradise on Earth”. The plaintiffs told the court they faced harsh living conditions after arriving in North Korea, including forced labour and strict controls on movement. They later managed to escape. The ruling is largely symbolic as North Korea has ignored the case for years and did not respond to court summons. Still, lawyers for the plaintiffs called the verdict historic, saying it marked a rare legal recognition of wrongdoing by Pyongyang. More than 90,000 ethnic Koreans living in Japan moved to North Korea between 1959 and 1984 under the programme. Survivors say promises of free healthcare, education and jobs were not kept. One of the plaintiffs, Eiko Kawasaki, moved to North Korea in 1960 at the age of 17 and escaped in 2003. She is now in her 80s. A lower court had earlier rejected the claims, citing jurisdiction issues and time limits. That decision was overturned after an appeal. Lawyers said enforcing the compensation order would be difficult, but the judgment itself was an important step toward justice.   With inputs from BBC

The restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant was halted Thursday, just hours after resuming for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), operator of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in north-central Japan said, the suspension of the No. 6 reactor was caused by a technical glitch involving control rods, which are crucial for safely starting and shutting down reactors. TEPCO confirmed there was no safety risk and said it was assessing the situation, but did not provide a timeline for when operations would resume. The restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility is being closely watched, as TEPCO also manages the Fukushima Daiichi plant, which suffered meltdowns following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Japan, which has limited domestic energy resources, is accelerating its use of nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand. All seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa have been offline since 2012, a year after the Fukushima disaster, which left surrounding areas contaminated with radioactive fallout. TEPCO continues to manage the ongoing cleanup at Fukushima, with costs estimated at 22 trillion yen ($139 billion), while also working to restore public trust after investigations highlighted the company’s poor safety culture and collusion with regulators. Since 2011, 14 other nuclear reactors have resumed operations across Japan. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, marks the first TEPCO-run unit to restart. The No. 6 reactor alone could produce 1.35 million kilowatts of electricity, enough for over a million households in the capital region. Read More: Power restored to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after monthlong outage With a combined capacity of 8 million kilowatts, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa remains the world’s largest nuclear plant, though TEPCO plans to gradually bring only two of its seven reactors back online in the coming years.    

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed to further strengthen cooperation between their countries, then surprised the public with a cultural exchange of their own by drumming together to K-pop hits. The impromptu jam session followed their summit on Tuesday in Nara, Japan’s ancient capital and Takaichi’s hometown. Wearing matching athletic jackets, the two leaders sat side by side and played drums to popular songs including BTS’ “Dynamite” and “Golden” by K-pop Demon Hunters in a short video released by Takaichi’s office on Wednesday. The performance was arranged as a surprise by Takaichi, a heavy metal fan who played drums during her university days. “Playing the drums has been my longtime dream,” Lee wrote on X, thanking Takaichi for arranging the session. “Just as we respected our differences and harmonised our rhythms, I hope Korea and Japan will deepen cooperation and grow closer step by step.” Takaichi praised Lee as a quick learner, saying he picked up the basics in just a few minutes. Japan to host South Korea summit as ties with China worsen She also said Japan and South Korea would continue close communication between their governments and push forward their “shuttle diplomacy” to develop bilateral relations in a forward-looking and stable manner.

A strong earthquake struck western Japan on Tuesday, but there were no reports of major damage, life-threatening injuries, or tsunami risk. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially reported the quake in Shimane prefecture, northwestern Japan, as magnitude 6.2, later revising it to 6.4. The prefectural capital, Matsue, along with nearby cities—including some in Tottori prefecture—experienced the strongest shaking. The quake’s epicenter was inland at a depth of roughly 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). JMA officials warned residents to remain cautious of possible aftershocks for about a week. Local fire departments reported a few minor injuries, and Shinkansen bullet trains in the area faced temporary suspensions or delays. The Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed no issues at the Shimane nuclear power plant or nearby facilities. Japan, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is among the world’s most earthquake-prone regions.

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck northeastern Japan late Monday night (December 08, 2025), prompting a tsunami warning for wide stretches of the Pacific coastline, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The quake struck at 11:15 p.m. local time at a depth of 50 km and registered upper 6 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale of 7 in the hardest-hit areas, the agency said. Read more: Earthquake: Matlab Bridge crack triggers fears as thousands cross every day Tsunami warnings have been issued for coastal regions of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures, where waves as high as 3 meters are expected. The epicenter was located off the eastern coast of Aomori at 41.0 degrees north latitude and 142.3 degrees east longitude. A tsunami advisory was also issued for Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures following the strong tremor. Authorities urged residents in the warned areas to move to higher ground immediately as aftershocks are likely. Read more: Earthquake Alerts: Best Free Mobile Apps in 2025-26