It is for the first time in 40 years that such a high powered Japanese delegation is visiting Sri Lanka. Representatives of leading Japanese firms such as Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Mitsui Japan Air Lines, Eastern Bank, Tokyo’s Mitsubishi Bank, All Nippon Airways, Nippon Steel, Itochu Marubeni and Toda will be in the visiting delegation which is led by Dr. Akiyo Meemura, President of both the above-mentioned Chambers of Commerce and Industries.

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry represents over 78,000 Japanese firms and the Tokyo Chamber represents nearly 78,000 firms in Tokyo.

The delegation will meet President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for discussions and attend an Industrial Seminar attended by the Prime Minister and several other Ministers.

Total bilateral trade between Japan and Sri Lanka which amounted to 566 million dollars in 2004 increased to 1,150 million dollars in 2016.

Sri Lankas exports to Japan during the first 11 months of 2017 increased in volume by about 4 percent. Japan’s total investments in Sri Lanka upto the last quarter of 2017 stood at 316 million dollars.

This has created 10,000 job opportunities. Japanese tourist arrivals have also increased sharply.

The total number of Japanese tourists which stood at 15000 in 2010 increased to 45000 in 2017.