Bangladesh’s apparel exporters have opened a dedicated platform to expand business with Japanese buyers and investors, targeting a larger share of Japan’s $23–26 billion annual apparel import market.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) inaugurated its Japan Desk at its Uttara headquarters on Wednesday to connect manufacturers with buyers, support market research, facilitate investment and help exporters utilise trade benefits under the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Japan crossed the $1 billion mark in recent years, but the country still accounts for a small portion of Japan’s apparel imports, leaving room for further expansion.
Japan, the world’s third-largest apparel importer after the European Union and the USA, is importing apparel worth around $23–26 billion annually from global suppliers, while Bangladesh’s shipments to the market stood at $1.134 billion in FY2026.
At the inauguration, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi said the Japan Desk would strengthen trade ties between the two countries and highlighted the importance of export diversification for sustainable growth.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said reliance on a limited number of products and traditional markets was not sustainable, making product and market diversification a priority for the sector.
“Japan is a highly promising market for Bangladesh’s apparel sector,” he said, adding that reducing lead time for supplying Japanese buyers remained a major challenge.
The Japan Desk will act as a one-stop platform for Japanese buyers and investors, supporting market research, buyer connections and coordination with organisations including the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other Japanese business bodies.
The initiative follows the formation of BGMEA’s Japan Market Strategy Development Committee a year ago to identify barriers and develop strategies to expand exports to Japan.
The committee has selected more than 270 factories to produce and supply apparel orders exclusively for Japanese brands, including Uniqlo, Muji, GU and Shimamura.
BGMEA said the desk would also support smaller Japanese orders, encourage Japanese investment and build long-term partnerships between manufacturers and buyers.
Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Japan reached $1.134 billion in FY2026, down 4.28 per cent from $1.185 billion in FY2025.
In the first two months of FY2026–27 (July-August), exports rose 1.33 per cent to $227.2 million from $224.2 million a year earlier.
In FY2026, Bangladesh exported around $560 million worth of knitwear and more than $570 million worth of woven garments to Japan.
The expansion push is also supported by the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed in February. Under the agreement, 7,379 Bangladeshi products will receive duty-free access to Japan.
The EPA also provides greater flexibility in rules of origin through single-stage transformation, allowing exporters to qualify for duty benefits even when raw materials are sourced from other countries.
Bangladesh will gradually provide duty-free or preferential access to 1,039 Japanese products, while the agreement creates opportunities for Bangladeshi skilled professionals in 120 service sectors in Japan.
The inauguration was attended by BGMEA leaders, Japanese diplomats, representatives of Japanese organisations and companies.
