New Japan ambassador to Bangladesh presents credentials to president

Japan’s new Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi has presented his credentials to President Md Abdul Hamid.

The president accepted the letter of credence at the Bangabhaban on Tuesday and wished the new ambassador a successful tenure in Dhaka.

Ambassador Izumi joined Japan’s foreign ministry in 1981 and most recently served as Director General, Foreign Service Training Institute. Prior to that assignment, he was Minister Plenipotentiary at the Japanese embassy in the United States.

On his assumption of the ambassadorship, Izumi said, “It is a great pleasure and a badge of honour for me to assume the ambassadorship in Bangladesh."

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh.

"Japan recognised Bangladesh right after its independence and has since then nurtured bilateral friendship as the largest development partner in cooperation with public and private sectors," he added in a statement.

In 2014, historical mutual visits of the two countries’ prime ministers established “Japan-Bangladesh Comprehensive Partnership” on the ground of historical ties, he added

"I will make an all-out effort to strengthen and develop the time-tested bilateral relations even further," he added.

On the Rohingya issue, he said since the end of August 2017, an unprecedented number of Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar.

"I visited the Rohingya camp near the border, and people there are in a difficult situation, and they need the international humanitarian assistance immediately."

"The government of Japan appreciates Bangladesh’s efforts to provide humanitarian relief to Rohingyas and extends its full support in cooperation with the international society."

Ambassador Izumi also expressed his deepest condolences and profound grief to the victims and their families including eight Japanese nationals killed in the terror attacks in July last year and October the year before.