Sri Lankan President begins official visit to Japan

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa accompanied by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived in Japan Tuesday (12) morning on a four-day official visit at the invitation of the government of Japan.
The President and the First Lady were received by Japan's Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Minoru Kiuchi, Sri Lankan Ambassador in Japan Admiral (RETD.) Wasantha Karannagoda, and Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Nobuhito Hobo at the Haneda International Airport in Tokyo.

The President is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and government officials Tuesday.

The two countries will sign several bilateral agreements during the President's tour and the Sri Lankan delegation is expected to hold discussions with the Japanese business leaders on investment opportunities and tourism.

President Rajapaksa will also meet the Sri Lankan community in Japan.

Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Nimal Siripala de Silva, Monitoring MP for Ministry of External Affairs Sajin de Vaas Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Governor of Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal are among the Sri Lankan officials, along with a business delegation, accompanying the President on his second official visit to the country.