Hasina in Tokyo

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in Tokyo early Sunday. Earlier, she left Dhaka on a four-day official visit at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage departed Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) International Airport at about 00:15 am. The Prime Minister reached Haneda International Airport in Tokyo at 1:00pm (local time) where she was received by Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan and Chief of Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Shigeyuki Hiroki. This is Sheikh Hasina’s first bilateral tour of Japan after she assumed office for the 2nd successive term in January. The visit is expected to usher in a new horizon in Bangladesh-Japan relationship. During the visit, the Prime Minister would hold summit-level talks with Japanese Prime Minister Abe at the Prime Minister’s Office on May 26. The two prime ministers would later sign a joint statement which would be followed by a joint press announcement. On her way to Japan, Sheikh Hasina made a stopover for one-and-half-hour at the Hong Kong International Airport. From Haneda Airport, Hasina was taken in a ceremonial motorcade to Akasaka Palace in Tokyo where she will be staying during her 4-day tour of Japan. In the evening, the friends of Bangladesh as well as former ambassadors of Japan to Bangladesh will meet the Prime Minister at her place of residence. On May 26, Hasina will start her day with a welcome ceremony at her place of residence followed by receiving a Guard of Honour. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and the members of Bangladesh-Japan parliamentary league will meet Hasina at her place of residence. After paying a visit to the Tokyo Imperial Palace, Hasina will spend some time as an audience with Akihito, the Emperor of Japan. She will then have summit-level talks with the Japanese Prime Minister, join the Joint Statement Signing Ceremony and the Joint Press Announcement. Later, the Bangladesh Prime Minister will attend dinner to be hosted by Prime Minister of Japan in honour of her at his official residence. The following day (May 27), Hasina will visit the Waseda University and speak at the University as well as make interactions with some selected students. She will address a luncheon ceremony to be hosted by Japan Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC) at Tokyo Kaikan. Hasina will then visit JETRO Headquarters and attend a Business Seminar to be organised by JBCCEC at JETRO Headquarters, according to a news agency.