Japan issued a clarification regarding viral claims on social media that the country had agreed to accept one hundred thousand workers from Bangladesh. Japan emphasized that no such agreement was reached during the summit between the two countries held on October 27th.
Toshikazu Kitamura, Japan's Secretary for Foreign Affairs, refuted these reports, calling them erroneous. He stated that during the meeting between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, no commitments were made regarding the provision of jobs for one hundred thousand Bangladeshi citizens in Japan.
Kitamura clarified that false information is circulating on social media claiming that the Japanese government approved the acceptance of one hundred thousand employees from Bangladesh, but such facts do not exist, including discussions at the Japan-Bangladesh summit on October 27th.
According to an official statement from the Japanese government, the October 27th summit focused on strengthening economic cooperation, investment, ties, and regional security. Japan forecasts that private investments by Japanese companies in Bangladesh could reach approximately one hundred million yen over the next five years, potentially creating around two hundred thousand jobs.
Furthermore, both countries agreed to promote the development of the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Initiative (BIG-B) under a new mechanism for achieving common prosperity.
The viral rumor about one hundred thousand workers stems from an announcement made in May 2025. At a human resources seminar held in Tokyo at that time, representatives of Japanese businesses announced plans to provide employment to at least one hundred thousand Bangladeshi citizens in Japan over the next five years. Two memorandums were also signed during this event between Bangladeshi employment agencies and Japanese organizations.
However, this announcement differed from the Japan-Bangladesh summit held in October 2026. Japan clearly stated that no decision on accepting one hundred thousand employees was made at the recent heads of government meeting.
A separate employment and skills development agreement was signed between Japan and Bangladesh on October 17, 2026. The purpose of this document is to establish a foundation for the recruitment process, worker rights protection, and skills development. Under this system, the recruitment process will begin on April 1, 2027, and will initially be valid for five years, with the possibility of extension for another five years. It is important to note that this agreement does not set a mandatory annual quota for sending one hundred thousand Bangladeshi citizens to Japan.
Japan faces a labor shortage in several sectors and seeks to increase the recruitment of workers from other countries to meet its needs. On the other hand, Bangladesh is looking for more opportunities for its citizens to work abroad.
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