Sri Lankan delegation visits Japan seeking to promote tourism

A Sri Lankan delegation led by Deputy Minister of Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena recently visited Japan and held discussions with the Senior Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan Shuji Ikeguchi.


During the meeting held on October 12th in Tokyo, Abeywardena recapped the long standing cordial relations between two countries and extended the gratitude for the continuous Japanese assistance to Sri Lanka especially both in good and difficult periods.


The Japanese minister extended his best wishes for government's recent election victories and current political stability in Sri Lanka and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka will achieve its economic development goals under the present Government after the conclusion of the 30-year conflict.
Recalling the Japan's economic ascension following the Second World War, the Minister has stated that Sri Lanka would like to learn and follow Japanese economic development strategies
The Deputy Minister has explained that the newly formed Economic Development Ministry, under Minister Basil Rajapaksa, is carrying out many economic development activities, especially in the war-ravaged areas in the North and the East which were cut-off for the last 30 years, to achieve economic development goals of the country.
Abeywardena has expressed hope that Japan will continue to offer economic assistance to Sri Lanka for many more decades in the future as it had done in the past.
In line with economic assistance, the Deputy Minister has pointed out that based on the peaceful atmosphere now prevailing in Sri Lanka, relaxing Japan's travel advisory on Sri Lanka would be an economic boost since the tourism is one of the main foreign exchange industries in Sri Lanka. Deputy Minister Abeywardena has asked the Japanese Senior Vice Minister to take measures to relax the travel advisory on Sri Lanka to encourage more Japanese tourists to the island.
Minister Ikeguchi has said that he would explore the possibilities on Minister Abeywardena's request and take appropriate actions and suggested that Sri Lanka needs infrastructure developments to attract more foreign nationals.
Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jagath Pushpakumara, Secretary to the Leader of the House of Parliament Sumith Wijesinghe, Secretary to the Chief Government Whip of Parliament Thilak Devagiribandara, First Secretary of the Sri Lanka Embassy Chandana Weerasena and Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Ibaraki Sunil Gamage also participated in the discussions.