Japan is emerging as an increasingly important export destination for Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector, with exports rising by 15.61% in the fiscal year 2024–25 to reach US $ 1.18 billion, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
This performance has established Japan as Bangladesh’s largest “non-traditional” market, underscoring growing demand among Japanese buyers for Bangladeshi apparel. Exports to other non-traditional markets also climbed by 10.44% during the same period, reaching US $ 1.15 billion and accounting for 16.11% of Bangladesh’s total garment exports.
Despite this growth, Japan remains largely underutilised. Figures from the International Trade Centre (ITC) show that the country imported apparel worth US $ 22.86 billion in 2024, of which Bangladesh supplied only US $ 1.26 billion — just 5.5% of Japan’s total imports.
Mohiuddin Rubel, managing director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the gap between Japan’s overall import volume and Bangladesh’s share highlighted significant untapped potential. He noted that Japan was a fashion-conscious, quality-driven, and premium market, where competition depended not only on sales but also on value, design, and product quality.
Rubel further stated that diversifying markets beyond Europe and North America was now critical, pointing out that Japan’s demand for high fashion, fast fashion, premium pricing, and superior quality should make it a strategic priority for Bangladesh’s exporters.
Industry observers added that Japanese buyers typically prioritise sustainable production, technical precision, and long-term supplier relationships. Bangladesh has made progress in these areas, with more than 50 local garment exporters already supplying products such as outerwear, loungewear, denim, and knitwear to Japan.
However, sector stakeholders believe that consolidating Bangladesh’s position will require improved trade facilitation, quicker supply-chain management, and stronger international branding.
At a time when exporters are grappling with reduced demand and pricing pressures in Western markets, Japan is being viewed as a stable, high-value destination offering long-term opportunities for Bangladesh’s apparel industry.
