DHAKA: Spokesperson for Japan Koichi Mizushima on Saturday said Japan would provide US$ 1.18 billion for five projects in Bangladesh under the Official Development Assistance (ODA).
 
In a press conference at a city hotel the spokesman Mizushima said, “We’re not in a stage to give you the detail of the projects.”

But he indicated that projects related to energy and city infrastructure development will be included in the ‘package’.
 
He said Japan wants ‘comprehensive partnership’ of cooperation with Bangladesh to promote bilateral cooperation through high-level ‘political dialogue’.
 
The Japanese Foreign Minister is here in Dhaka on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh. And the press conference was arranged to brief media about the outcome of visit.
 
Earlier in the morning, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who arrived here on Friday, held a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart AH Mahmood Ali at the Foreign Ministry that lasted for an hour and forty minutes.
 
In reply of a question, Mizushima, also Deputy Press Secretary of Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said business and investment environment in Bangladesh has improved ‘to some extent’ and hoped that the environment would improve further.
 
“Japanese companies are very much interested to invest in Bangladesh. A friendly business environment is important for Japanese companies,” the spokesperson said adding that the Japanese companies also want to see more ‘stable supply of energy’.
 
He also said the number of Japanese companies invested in Bangladesh has been increasing as the number of Japanese companies stood 176 in 2013 which was 61 in 2007.
         
Replying to another question on January 5 elections, Mizushima said democracy should be promoted in Bangladesh and hoped that it will be strengthened further through the local elections now being held in phases.
   
Asked about signing an Economic Partnership Agreement, he said, “Having economic partnership agreement isn’t the only way to promote bilateral cooperation. We’ll continue to discuss to find out what can be the best way.”
 
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled leave Dhaka tonight after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

BDST: 2105 HRS, MAR 22, 2014