The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced, on 7 February 2025, that the fourth round of negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Japan and Bangladesh took place in Dhaka from 2 to 6 February 2025, in a hybrid format.
The discussions were led by Kobayashi Izuru, Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with representatives from other relevant ministries; and Ayesha Akther, Additional Secretary and Head of the Foreign Trade Agreement Wing at the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh, alongside officials from other ministries.
During this round, both sides held discussions on key negotiating areas which included trade in goods, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, trade in services, investment, electronic commerce, and intellectual property. The negotiations focused on shaping the framework for a future economic partnership aimed at enhancing trade and investment between the two nations.
