Akashi lauds Sri Lanka’s efforts to restore peace after Easter Sunday attacks

Former Japanese special envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi yesterday said Sri Lanka’s success in restoring ethnic peace and reconciliation, while also taking steps to defeat brutal extremism, is a real lesson for the rest of the

Maithripala Sirisena and Yasushi Akashi

world.

Akashi said this when he called on President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s Office.

President Sirisena honoured Japanese national Yasushi Akashi with the Sri Lanka Rathana, the first-ever highest national honour conferred on non-nationals, in order to recognise his distinguished and exceptional service rendered towards the nation at the National Honours 2019 investiture ceremony at the BMICH yesterday.

The President thanked Akashi for his numerous efforts to restore peace and harmony in Sri Lanka, and wished him long life to continue his exceptional service to the world at large, and to promote friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan.

Akashi thanked the President and the people of Sri Lanka for conferring this great honour on him. He said that Japan and Sri Lanka have many things in common, and Buddhism binds the special friendship between the two countries.

Akashi said that other countries could take lessons from Sri Lanka on how to make relentless efforts to strengthen communal peace and harmony, while successfully battling extremism. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Japanese Ambassador Akira Sugiyama, and Additional Secretary Esala Weerakoon were present on this occasion.