TOKYO, June 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake an official visit to Japan from June 8 to 10 at the invitation of the Japanese government, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

He will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong and senior government officials.

“The Prime Minister will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony, followed by a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi,” the ministry, widely known as Wisma Putra, said in a statement today.

According to the ministry, the meeting will provide a pivotal opportunity for both leaders to review progress in bilateral relations and chart new avenues for cooperation following the elevation of Malaysia-Japan ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2023.

Key areas of discussion are expected to include green technology, energy resilience and transition, environmental cooperation, defence and regional security, as well as higher education.

The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the statement said.

During the visit, Anwar is scheduled to deliver a special lecture at Tokyo University and a keynote address at the 31st Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia, underscoring Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening ties and fostering dialogue with Japan and the wider region.

Recognising Japan’s enduring role as a major source of foreign direct investment and a key economic partner, Anwar will also participate in business roundtable sessions with Japanese industry leaders to explore new high-value investment opportunities in Malaysia.

Japan has remained one of Malaysia’s most important economic partners, ranking as the country’s fifth-largest trading partner globally since 2024.

In 2025, total bilateral trade amounted to RM142.96 billion (US$33.39 billion).

As of December 2025, a total of 2,872 manufacturing projects involving Japanese participation had been implemented in Malaysia, with investments reaching RM107.9 billion (US$31 billion).

According to Wisma Putra, these projects have generated 347,346 jobs. — Bernama

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DHAKA, June 20 — Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to visit Malaysia and China on his first trip abroad since assuming office, the foreign ministry said Saturday, bypassing neighbouring India as his inaugural destination.

Rahman will travel to Malaysia on Sunday before heading to China the following day, Dhaka’s state-run BSS news agency reported, citing foreign ministry officials.

In Beijing, trade and infrastructure projects are expected to dominate discussions, according to the officials.

Those could include Chinese support for the long-delayed Teesta project, a plan to restore and manage a key Bangladesh river through dredging, embankment construction and irrigation.

“The visits are being viewed as a major diplomatic initiative aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s economic partnerships,” BSS reported, citing the foreign ministry.

Malaysia is home to an estimated 800,000 Bangladeshi workers, making up more than a third of its foreign workforce.

Bangladesh is largely landlocked by India, but relations have been strained since a 2024 uprising toppled the government of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, an ally of New Delhi.

Ties improved after Rahman won elections and took over in February from the interim administration that had led the country of 170 million people since Hasina’s ouster.

But frictions remain, with Hasina in hiding in India since fleeing the uprising and Bangladesh repeatedly seeking her extradition.

Relations have also deteriorated along the border, with India sending people it deems illegal migrants across the frontier to Bangladesh.

India has long been wary of China’s growing regional influence, with the world’s two most populous countries competing for sway in South Asia. — AFP