Iwama Kiminori, the Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh, reaffirmed Japan’s steadfast dedication to its friendship with Bangladesh today, stressing that Tokyo’s position will not alter while the country is in an interim administration.
“We’ve discussed how we can respond to the needs and requests of the new Bangladesh government,” the ambassador told reporters during a media briefing at the Japanese Embassy this evening.
The purpose of the briefing was to provide an update on the excavation work being done between November 13 and 22 to recover the remains of former Japanese troops buried in the Mainamati War Cemetery.
Japan and Bangladesh have a long history together, and Ambassador Kiminori emphasised Japan’s continuous efforts to promote Dhaka’s economic growth throughout the years.
“Japan has been providing significant assistance to Bangladesh regardless of political changes,” he noted.
“There are many challenges ahead, but we have been working together for over 50 years, and we will continue to do so,” the envoy said, reaffirming Japan’s dedication to its bilateral relationship.
The bones of 23 former Japanese troops are thought to have been recovered during the excavation by a team from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare and the Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties (JARREC).
To verify their identities, the team intends to return the remains to Japan for DNA testing.After confirmation, the crew would go back to Bangladesh to retrieve the other remains of the troops that were identified.
