# Japan offers to sell military weapons to Bangladesh

> Japan has proposed selling military weapons to Bangladesh, which will be a key topic at the 6th Foreign Office Consultation in Tokyo on May 15. Discussions will also cover defense cooperation, regional security, and Ban…

Published: 2026-09-15 · Desk: Latest · Source: The Daily Ittefaq

Japan has proposed selling military weapons to Bangladesh, a matter expected to be central in the upcoming 6th Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between the two countries, scheduled for May 15 in Tokyo. According to Foreign Ministry sources, Bangladesh will be represented by Foreign Secretary Md. Jasim Uddin, while Japan’s delegation will be led by Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Akahari Takeshi.

Alongside defense cooperation, the FOC will also cover topics such as regional security, Indo-Pacific strategy, the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar, and enhancing bilateral and people-to-people ties. A key point of discussion will be Japan’s intention to expand its military arms export market in Asia, for which it has proposed arms sales to Bangladesh. While Tokyo has expressed seriousness about the proposal, no final decision has been made, as such deals require high-level political dialogue.

The upcoming Japan visit of Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, scheduled for May 29–31, will also be on the agenda. He is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during his stay in Tokyo and Osaka.

Although Japan has historically focused on economic and cultural cooperation with Bangladesh, its shift towards defense trade comes amid growing geopolitical tensions, especially due to Bangladesh’s recent strengthening of ties with China. Both Dr. Yunus and Foreign Affairs Advisor Towhid Hossain have visited China following last year’s political shift in Dhaka, leading to deeper cooperation between the two nations. Given Japan’s uneasy relationship with China, these developments have raised concerns in Tokyo, and the China issue is expected to be discussed in the morning session of the FOC.

Ahead of the meeting, an inter-ministerial discussion was held in Dhaka, chaired by the Foreign Secretary and attended by Japanese Embassy and Foreign Ministry officials. The military proposal and respective agendas for the FOC were thoroughly reviewed during the session.

Original reporting: https://www.ittefaq.com.bd/729803/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8?fbclid=IwY2xjawKCcc5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPbU9UODh4THBQbzhmaG9ZAR4ELUsZl5MZwVfdnkBC-8b2BG5NGFbL0XTU68rqSeGzfCe_XcZTSTpKoC2v5A_aem_PdrVnFi8yhAWz8R0B79dZg
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