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Japan-Bangladesh E-Bulletin (51st Issue / June 8, 2006)
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Making a Bridge between Japan and Bangladesh -
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This E-Bulletin is to share updated information and
stories about Japan-Bangladesh relations with as many
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[Table of Contents]
[1]
Message from Ambassador Inoue
“Greetings from the New Ambassador”
[2]
Upcoming Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
*
Seminar “Study in Japan” (Jun 9, Dhaka)
[3]
Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
*
Japan’s Support for Greater Faridpur Rural Infrastructure
Development Project (June 8, Dhaka)
*
Ambassador Inoue Assumed Office in Bangladesh (May 16)
*
Japan's Country Assistance Program for Bangladesh
*
GOJ-GOB Programme Level Evaluation-Japanese Assistance to
LGED Related Sectors (Final Report) (March 2006)
[4]
Special Essay “Revisiting Dhaka 29 Years after the Hijack”
(Mr. Hajime Ishii, Former Minister of Home Affairs and
Former Member of the House of Representatives of Japan)
[5]
Information
*
Speech by Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs on
the Occasion of the 12th Nikkei International Conference
on "The Future of Asia" - "A Networked Asia":
Conceptualizing a Future
[6]
Editor's Note
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[1]
Message from Ambassador Inoue
“Greetings from the New Ambassador”
I
am pleased to introduce myself to you as the new
Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, succeeding H.E. Mr.
Matsushiro Horiguchi. I arrived in Dhaka on May 16. On
June 1, I presented my credentials to Honourable Acting
President of Bangladesh, H.E. Barrister Muhammad
Jamiruddin Sircar. Hence, I formally commenced diplomatic
activities. I would like to humbly request you to continue
your support, which Ambassador Horiguchi enjoyed, by
sharing your thoughts with me and advising me on
improvement in my work.
As
this is my maiden message in Dhaka, I would like to
express my aspiration and also talk in brief about myself.
Before coming here, I was engaged in planning and
coordinating international affairs as Director-General for
International Affairs at the Ministry of Education,
Science, Sports, and Culture (MEXT), and also served as
Secretary-General of the Japanese National Commission for
UNESCO.
I
began my professional career at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in 1973 and moved to the Ministry of Education in
1974. The Ministry of Education was consolidated with the
Agency of Science and Technology to establish the MEXT in
January, 2001. I mainly dealt with policy-making of
scientific technology and research and international
affairs as Senior Deputy Director-General. While working
for the MEXT, I was engaged in international affairs
directly and indirectly for 28 years, including being
stationed overseas. As for experiences with developing
countries, I have been involved with UNESCO, United
Nations University, human resources development such as
supports for foreign students studying in Japan and young
researchers. In addition, I have worked for resolving
global challenges including environmental issues.
I
graduated from three universities in and outside Japan
including a master’s program. I was a senior student
majoring Indian and Pakistan studies at the Tokyo
University of Foreign Studies in 1971, when Bangladesh
achieved independence from Pakistan. Though I appreciated
it as a historic event, I was more interested in Persian
than the history of Indian economy or the Indian Continent
as a whole. Coming here, I remembered that Persian was the
language used in the court in India under the Mughal
Empire. Some Bangladeshis told me that Bengal has 7-8,000
Persian vocabularies. I learned the dynamic exchanges of
cultures and peoples in the Indian Continent before the
British rule when I saw Persian arts of the Middle Ages at
the National Museum.
I
have been reading about Bangladesh and Japan-Bangladesh
relations since I was appointed the Ambassador. I was
impressed to know that many Bangladeshis and Japanese made
remarkable efforts under difficult condition to enhance
the cooperation and friendship between the two countries.
To name a few, a booklet issued by Japanese Commerce and
Industry Association in Dhaka (Sho-ko-kai) on the occasion
of its 30th anniversary; a magazine titled
“So-Ka” which depicts the society and culture of
Bangladesh; and a book titled “The Role of Japan in the
Independence of Bangladesh” written by Mr. Sheikh Ahmed
Jalal. All of them contain lively reports by those who
were engaged in the Japan-Bangladesh relationship. They
are very informative, too. I think we can take over their
roles to enhance the bilateral relationship and pass the
baton to the next generation.
Japan has been consistently assisting Bangladesh for
development, including supports through NGOs, and making
contributions to promoting trade and investment and
enhancing exchanges and dialogues since the independence
of Bangladesh. I believe that the development of
Bangladesh as a moderate and democratic country with the
Muslim majority is crucial for stability in the South
Asian region. It is more so, taking into consideration the
dynamism of the current situation in the region and the
world.
The
role of Japan is to support its efforts for further
development. Especially, the general elections are
scheduled to be held next year and I would like to take
every opportunity to point out that maintaining law and
order is crucial for further development and boosting
investment. I intend to devote myself to promoting
economic cooperation, trade and investment, cultural
exchanges, and dialogues. I would like to humbly request
for your continuing support for the Embassy of Japan.
--------------------------------------------------
[2]
Upcoming Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
*
Seminar “Study in Japan” (Jun 9, Dhaka)
Japanese Universities Alumni Association in Bangladesh (JUAAB),
Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), and the
Embassy of Japan will jointly organize a seminar “Study in
Japan” at the BUET Auditorium on Friday, June 9, from
3:30pm to 8:30pm.
The
detailed programs are as follows:
3:30pm: Video show on experiences of study and living in
Japan by Bangladeshi nationals
3:50pm: Welcome address by Mr. Takashi Asai, First
Secretary, Embassy of Japan
4:00pm: Speech by Mr. Atsushi Nishioka, Executive Director
of JASSO, on student exchange programs, how to obtain a
degree, and how to learn Japanese language
5:00pm: Briefing on Monbukagakusho Scholarship by Dr.
Hasina Ferdousi, Education Adviser, Embassy of Japan
5:30pm: Describing experiences of study and living in
Japan by Prof. Mozammel Hoq, President JUAAB and Dr. Tajul
Islam
6:00pm: Question & Answer Session
8:30pm: Closing
For
more information, please contact the Embassy of Japan at
881-0087.
(JUAAB)
http://www.juaab.org
--------------------------------------------------
[2]
Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
*
Japan’s Support for Greater Faridpur Rural Infrastructure
Development Project (June 8, Dhaka)
On
June 8, the Government of Japan approved the utilization
of 20 crore taka of the Japanese Counterpart Fund for the
project for Rural Development Project-24, Greater Faridpur
Rural Infrastructure Development Project, implemented by
LGED.
The
Japanese Counterpart Fund is generated from the Debt
Relief Grant Aid (DRGA). The DRGA provided to Bangladesh
has amounted to 256.8 billion yen (approximately 15,100
crore taka).
Ambassador Inoue expressed his hope that the assistance
will make a significant contribution to setting up
communication network and reactivating the socio-economic
activities in the areas.
*
Ambassador Inoue Assumed Office in Bangladesh (May 16)
The
new Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Mr. Masayuki Inoue, arrived
in Dhaka on May 16 and assumed his office. He presented
the credentials to the Honourable Acting President of
Bangladesh, H.E. Barrister Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, on
June 1.
For
the interview article with his picture by the Daily Star,
please visit the following website:
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/05/15/d605151501150.htm
*
Japan's Country Assistance Program for Bangladesh
The
Japan's Country Assistance Program for Bangladesh was
released and is available at the following website:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/region/sw_asia/bangladesh.pdf
*
GOJ-GOB Programme Level Evaluation-Japanese Assistance to
LGED Related Sectors (Final Report) (March 2006)
The
Government Of Japan-the Government Of Bangladesh Programme
Level Evaluation-Japanese Assistance to LGED Related
Sectors (Final Report) (March 2006) was released and is
available at the following website:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/evaluation/2005/bangladesh.pdf
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[4]
“Revisiting Dhaka 29 Years after the Hijack”
(Mr. Hajime Ishii, Former Minister of Home Affairs and
Former Member of the House of Representatives of Japan)
I
visited Dhaka after a 29-year absence. It was as
swelteringly hot as back then, and the lives of a deluge
of people have not changed at all. A gap of 29 years
vanished in a second, followed by vividly recurring
memories of an incident.
I,
as a state secretary of the Ministry of Communication, had
to be engaged in resolving the hijack incident of a Japan
Airline’s plane, which landed in Dhaka, from September 28
to October 5 in 1977.
Appointed as leader of the Japanese mission by the then
Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, I flew to Dhaka in order to
negotiate with hijackers and the Government of Bangladesh.
This experience was very valuable for me as a human being
and a man rather than as a politician. I had to make a
series of decisions in a lonely and difficult situation.
Although 29 years have elapsed, it still makes me sweat
with fear.
The
hijackers were members of the Japanese Red Army. They
persisted in negotiation with the Government of Japan only
through the Government of Bangladesh. In addition,
Bangladesh was a newly born country, which had just got
independence from Pakistan. The government, represented by
the then Air Vice Marshal A. G. Mahmud J. Bt. psa,
insisted on its sovereignty and was trying to avoid
bloodshed, which would have seriously damaged its face,
with utmost efforts and to minimise influence by Japan.
Therefore, the fist complicated problem was how the
Japanese mission would reach an agreement with the
Bangladeshi side on common national interests, rather than
facing off the hijackers. The principle of the Japanese
government was the release of all hostages in Dhaka, and
we had developed a strategy in Japan. However, Air Vice
Marshal Mahmud had already started negotiation with an aim
to get some of the hostages released by the time when we
arrived in Dhaka. He thought it best for Bangladesh to get
rid of those “petrels” as soon as possible by accepting
the hijackers’ request with an exchange of some hostages.
I
understood his position but accepting the partial release
would make it more difficult to save the rest; there were
still 82 people captured in the plane. How I could carry
out the government’s order and the Japanese people’s
expectation? The hijackers would probably start executions
one after another if we refused their request. The speaker
was transmitting Mr. John Gabrielle, an American banker,
crying for help.
In
a tense situation, I desired to take the place of those 82
people in hostage. I asked Air Vice Marshal Mahmud for his
support and negotiated personally with Junzo Okudaira, the
leader of the hijackers, saying “You have me. Let the
hostages get off.” To tell the truth, however, I could not
get rid of a fear of being killed. My request was turned
down by the hijackers and I narrowly escaped death.
I
visited Dhaka with the TV crew of NHK (Japan Broadcasting
Corporation), whose purpose was to make a documentary on
the hijack incident. I held a meeting with Air Vice
Marshal Mahmud in the control tower where we worked
together 29 years ago. I also visited the graveyard and
offered flower to victims of the coup d’etat which
happened at the old airport.
Though we succeeded in saving all crew members and
passengers of the hijacked place, the coup d’etat, which
occurred at that time, claimed as many as 300 soldiers and
civilians hit by stray bullets. The incident feels to me
as if it happened just yesterday but meeting the bereaved,
I realized that they remember the incident more vividly
than I.
The
visit provided me with a chance to see not only the
Embassy staff but also the Japanese business people
stationed in Dhaka. Above all, I was surprised when Mr.
Kobayashi, General Manager of Marubeni Corporation Dhaka
Office, and Mr. Mishima, General Manager of Toyo
Engineering Corporation, told me that Japanese women, who
sent rice balls to the Japanese mission and the hostages
29 years ago, are still living in Dhaka. My mind was so
occupied with resolving the hijack in those days that I
did not think about who made those rice balls. I learned
that there were many people’s support and kindness behind
the scene. I was very impressed by those who keep working
as a bridge between Japan and Bangladesh, and would like
to express my respect to them.
I
am very glad to visit Dhaka again. I have made genuine
friendship with Air Vice Marshal Mahmud and will keep it
through my life. We argued so much as to go to the verge
of a fight, but we together went through the experience of
being threatened with death. Though Bangladeshi
politicians are divided into two sides and starkly
confront each other, many politicians still remember the
hijack very well. I myself felt again the ties with this
country by this visit. I would like to conclude my essay
by promising to make my best efforts in order to
strengthen the relationship between Japan and Bangladesh.
--------------------------------------------------------
[5]
Information
*
Speech by Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs on
the Occasion of the 12th Nikkei International Conference
on "The Future of Asia" - "A Networked Asia":
Conceptualizing a Future
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm/aso/speech0605-2.html
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[6]
Editor's Note
The
World Cup Soccer will kick off on June 9. I was pleasantly
surprised to see the excitement at it in Bangladesh.
Thinking of how diverse cultures and societies teams are
from, I would say it a miracle that they abide by same
rules in soccer. Please send your big cheers to the
Japanese National team!
Editor, Saori Nagase
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