Bangladesh clothing exports to Japan is increasing and could touch $1 billion in value in a year due to capacity and product quality increases. Japanese buyers who used to import from China are increasingly showing interest on sourcing apparel items from Bangladesh. This dovetails with Tokyo's China-plus-one import diversification strategy. Even high end garment items from Bangladesh enter the Japanese market.
Bangladesh’s duty-free access to the Japanese market has also helped boost exports. Its shipment to Japan had turned around after the country's economy suffered in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and the associated tsunami and nuclear accident.
Bangladesh’s knitwear exports to Japan have grown by more than 50 per cent per annum due to relaxation of ‘Rules of Origin’ by the Japanese government in 2012. Being a member of the least developed countries' group, Bangladesh has duty-free access to Japan for woven products.
Japanese textile and clothing investors are also coming to Bangladesh. Top Japanese brands have started buying more apparel products from Bangladesh.
