Japan's Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Taro Aso will arrive in Dhaka on August 21 on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, reports UNB.

The visit of the Japanese Minister comes in quick succession high-level exchange of tours between the two countries, reports UNB.

Aso is considered to be the most powerful minister in Japan after Prime Minister Koizumi. His visit to Dhaka comes as a follow-up move on to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's visit to Tokyo between July 11 and July 15.

A senior official of the Foreign Ministry said Thursday the visit by the Japanese minister is considered important after the 'successful visit' by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who had sought more Japanese investment and financial support, particularly for the construction of 1.5 billion dollar Padma Bridge project.

The official, who asked not to be named, said during the Khaleda-Koizumi official talks, Koizumi had clearly indicated Japan's possible funding support for the Padma Bridge.

Once the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) take the decision about extending credits to the bridge project, Japan will obviously come up to form a consortium, as cost of the proposed bridge is much higher than that of the Jamuna Bridge, he added.

The government will now pursue the two multilateral donor agencies through the Economic Resource Division (ERD) to mobilise funds for the bridge.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador Matsushiro Horiguchi Thursday met Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin at the Foreign Ministry when they reviewed the outcome of Khaleda's visit to Japan.

The Japanese envoy said the visit would have a 'big positive impact' on bilateral relations between Dhaka and Tokyo and assured the Foreign Secretary of Japan's full cooperation and support for development of Bangladesh.

BSS adds: The official visit by Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia to Japan has created a great impact on bilateral relations between the two countries.

Talking to newsman Thursday, Foreign Secretary Hemayet Uddin said the Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Matsushiro Horiguchi, conveyed to him that the cooperation between the two countries would further expand as a result of the visit by the Prime Minister.

Referring to Tokyo's support for the construction of the multi-million dollar Padma bridge project, he said Japan together with other donor agencies are expected to respond favourably to the request of the government of Bangladesh.

Matters related to reforms of the United Nations (UN) also came up for discussion between the Foreign Secretary and the Japanese Ambassador. The "issue has now become more complicated," Hemayet Uddin said.