Japanese investor Yoshimichi Watanabe backs Hunas Holdings ahead of expansion

Thursday, 17 September 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Partnership signals renewed foreign investor confidence in Sri Lanka as a destination and in the long-term growth of its hospitality sector

Yoshimichi Watanabe

Japanese investor Yoshimichi Watanabe has entered into a partnership with Colombo Stock Exchange-listed Hunas Holdings PLC, in a move that comes as the diversified conglomerate prepares a significant expansion of its hospitality and real estate interests in Sri Lanka.

The partnership brings foreign capital and international market experience into one of Sri Lanka’s fastest-diversifying listed groups at a point when the Group is actively building out its pipeline across both sectors. Hunas Holdings is currently evaluating a series of hospitality and real estate developments in Sri Lanka, with further announcements expected in the coming months.

Hunas Holdings PLC operates across hospitality and leisure, real estate, renewable energy and agriculture, with a hotel portfolio that includes Hunas Falls in Elkaduwa

For Sri Lanka, the significance of the partnership extends beyond the two parties. Inbound investment of this nature, from an investor with direct and sustained experience of the market, is a measure of returning confidence in the country as a destination and in the underlying fundamentals of its hospitality sector, at a time when the industry is repositioning towards higher-value, experience-led travel.

Watanabe brings investment experience across e-commerce, hospitality and real estate in Japan and in international markets including Bali, Indonesia. He has also maintained a relationship with Sri Lanka over many years, having made multiple investments in the country, giving him first-hand insight into its business environment, regulatory landscape and long-term potential.

While acknowledging the economic pressures Sri Lanka has faced, Watanabe takes a deliberately counter-cyclical view, arguing that the current climate offers a window in which long-term value can be created rather than a reason for caution.

“Having spent many years connected to Sri Lanka, I have seen both its challenges and its remarkable potential,” said Yoshimichi Watanabe. “I understand the economic realities the country has faced, but I also believe this is the moment to look beyond the immediate picture and invest with a long-term perspective. Hospitality and real estate are where I see the clearest opportunity, and in Hunas Holdings I have found a partner with the local strength, the asset base and the ambition to build something meaningful.”

The partnership combines Watanabe’s international investment experience and long-term conviction in Sri Lanka with Hunas Holdings’ established local presence, operating assets and market knowledge, positioning both parties to move quickly as the Group’s expansion plans take shape.