Yunus arrives in Tokyo

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has arrived in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, on a four-day official visit.

A Cathay Pacific flight, carrying the Chief Adviser and his entourage, landed at Narita International Airport at 2:05PM, 25 minutes ahead of schedule, where he was received with state honours by Japan’s Chief of Protocol, senior Japanese officials and Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan.

During the visit, seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed, covering cooperation in investment, energy, and technology sectors.

An Exchange of Notes is also anticipated on budgetary support and the upgradation of the Joydebpur-Ishwardi railway line to a dual-gauge double-track, he added.

The visit will commence with a courtesy call by President of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League Taro Aso at 5:00 pm on the day of arrival.

Later in the evening, Prof Yunus will attend a dinner hosted in his honour by Chairman of The Nippon Foundation Yohei Sasakawa, followed by an interactive meeting with prominent Japanese dignitaries.

On May 29, ahead of the Nikkei Forum, senior executives from Nikkei Inc. will pay a courtesy call on the Chief Adviser.

Dr Yunus will deliver a keynote address at the inaugural plenary session of the 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia, where he will speak on “Asia’s Challenge in a Turbulent World.”

The Chief Adviser will participate in a Human Resource Development Seminar later on that day to be hosted by the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo.

He will deliver a special address highlighting Bangladesh’s growing potential to contribute to Japan’s skilled workforce needs.

Prof Yunus will also hold meetings with key Japanese stakeholders, including JICA President Dr Tanaka Akihiko, where ongoing development cooperation and JICA-funded projects in Bangladesh will be reviewed.

He will give exclusive interviews to leading Japanese media houses such as Nikkei, NHK, Asahi Shimbun, Asahi TV, and Nippon TV.

In the evening on May 29, he will attend a dinner to be hosted by the Nikkei Forum.

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will have a meeting in the morning on May 30 at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.

Prof Yunus will be accorded a red-carpet welcome and a guard of honour before the talks commence.

Their discussions will cover a wide range of strategic issues, including trade and investment, infrastructure development, agricultural cooperation, human resources, and the Rohingya crisis, officials said.

The Chief Adviser will also give an exclusive interview to Japan’s largest newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, following the meeting.

Later, on that day, Prof Yunus will meet President of JETRO Kimura Fukunari to discuss enhancing bilateral trade and investment.

He will also participate in a roundtable meeting with Japanese investors and attend the “Bangladesh Business Seminar,” where he will interact with global CEOs, members of the Social Business Circle, and young professionals from both countries.

In recognition to his contribution to social innovation and global development, Soka University will confer upon Prof Yunus an Honorary Doctorate Degree in the afternoon.

He will also deliver an address to a distinguished audience at the university.

In the evening, the Chief Adviser will attend a community reception of Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo and engage with members of the Bangladeshi diaspora.

Later, the Chief Adviser will join a dinner hosted in his honour by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan at Bangladesh House.

The Chief Adviser will conclude his visit and depart Tokyo in the morning of May 31 on a Singapore Airlines flight via Singapore.