Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Friday, 26 September 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Anura Kumara Disanayake
Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairperson Krishan Balendra
Sri Lanka—Japan Business Council Immediate Past President Mahen Kariyawasan
By Nisthar Cassim in Osaka
Sri Lanka via a private-public initiative will make its biggest push to woo Japanese interests with key engagements in Osaka and Tokyo starting tomorrow and spanning five days.
Whilst President Anura Kumara Disanayake will arrive in Japan tomorrow on a State visit after attending the UN General Assembly sessions in New York, a high-powered private sector and officials delegation has already arrived.
The Sri Lanka—Japan Business Council (SLJBC) under the aegis of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is leading a private sector delegation of over 20 personnel/companies with interests in manufacturing, exports, services, tourism, logistics and IT. They will attend two separate engagements in Osaka and Tokyo with Japanese companies.
The private sector delegation is led by Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and John Keells Holdings Chairperson Krishan Balendra, and comprises Sri Lanka—Japan Business Council (SLJBC) President and Hirohama Ceylon Ltd., and Surmount Ventures Director Athulla R.F. Edirisinghe; SLJBC Vice President and Spear International Ltd. Chairman and Managing Director Shamil Mendis; SLJBC Treasurer and MendisOne Chairman Rohitha Mendis; SLJBC Immediate Past President and Andrew the Travel Company Managing Director Mahen Kariyawasan; BOVCapital Managing Partner Prajeeth Balasubramaniam; Celestia International CEO Chandana Silva; Connaissance De Ceylan CEO Chamin Wickramasinghe; Dentsu Grant Chairperson and Managing Director Neela Marikkar; E.W Information Systems Chairman Sanjeewa Wickramanayake; Hayleys PLC Director Sarath Ganegoda; hSenid Group Chairman Dinesh Saparamadu; Lanka Harness Executive President Rohan Pallewatta; MAC Holdings Chairman and President Otani San; MAC Holdings Managing Director Andre Fernando; MendisOne Managing Director Rishantha Mendis; Microsoft Sri Lanka and Maldives Country Manager Harsha Randeny; Tomo Wold Ceylon Chairman Nishantha Perera; Adamajee Lukmanjee and Sons Business Partner Exports Hashini Kalansuriya; Jayalanka Suppliers Managing Director Ganidhu Ishara; Transfood Lanka Director Sajahan Pasie; NCINGA Chairman Imal Kalutotage; Group Managing Director Vajira Wijesinghe; and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Assistant Secretary General Dinithi Dias.
Separately, senior officials of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Board of Investment and Foreign Affairs Ministry are in Japan as well.
A central feature of the visit will be the Business Forum in Tokyo, organised in partnership with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
This high-profile platform is designed to facilitate new trade, investment, and collaboration opportunities between the two countries.
Beyond Tokyo, the delegation will participate in targeted B2B sessions in Osaka, organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), enabling Sri Lankan companies to connect directly with potential Japanese partners. The team will also participate in “Sri Lanka Day” at Expo 2025 Osaka, showcasing the country’s culture, heritage, and economic strengths.
The Business Forum will highlight Sri Lanka’s export potential, investment opportunities, and priority sectors for trade and investment collaboration, with a special focus on engaging the Japanese business community. Participation of approximately 120 distinguished guests, including Japanese political representatives, senior government officials, leading business executives.
President Disanayake is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka Pavilion at Expo 2025 and participate in the Sri Lanka Day program tomorrow.
On Monday he will visit JETRO office and engage in a roundtable discussion with select Japanese leaders, and thereafter attend the investment promotion seminar organised by the Board of Investment.
As part of the State visit, President Disanayake on Tuesday (30 September) is scheduled to meet senior leaders of the Japanese Government for bilateral talks.
Sri Lanka and Japan enjoy strong ties
Sri Lanka and Japan share strong ties. Japan is one of the biggest development partners of Sri Lanka.
Japan is also a significant source of investment and a market for Sri Lankan exports like apparel, tea, and rubber and Sri Lanka importing Japanese motor vehicles. Recent high-level talks in July 2025 aimed to enhance cooperation and attract new Japanese investments as Sri Lanka recovers economically. Key drivers for increased investment include improving Sri Lanka’s business environment, establishing potential dedicated industrial zones, and utilising existing bilateral agreements.
Sri Lanka’s primary exports to Japan include tea, apparel, and rubber products, and Japan remains Sri Lanka’s 15th biggest market. Japan’s key exports to Sri Lanka are machinery, Toyota vehicles, electrical equipment, and chemical products. In its best years Sri Lanka exported around $ 180 million worth of goods and services to Japan with similar value for imports from Japan, indicating a roughly balanced trade.
In the first eight months of 2025 Lankan exports to Japan grew by 9% to $ 127 million, according to EDB data. In August exports rose year-on-year by 28% to $ 18.7 million. Both countries benefit from preferential trade arrangements, including Japan’s GSP scheme, which aims to foster economic growth and investment.
At present, there are about 60 enterprises with Japanese investment, operating in Sri Lanka under the BOI Law with a cumulative investment of $ 350 million, providing more than 12,000 employment opportunities. In addition, there are a number of small-scale enterprises with Japanese investments operating under the normal laws of the country that are engaged in restaurants, apparel, tourism and travel, and export trading.
In terms of tourism, there were 50,000 tourists from Japan in 2018. During the first eight months of this year 24,662 Japanese tourists have visited Sri Lanka, reflecting a 31.6% year-on-year increase.
The SLJBC was established in 1979 as the Sri Lanka–Japan Business Co-operation Committee (SLJBCC) by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, following a Memorandum of Understanding with the Japan–Sri Lanka Business Co-operation Committee (JSLBCC) of the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI). Since its inception, 19 joint meetings have been held in Sri Lanka and Japan, most recently in Colombo in June 2016. SLJBC is the first bilateral business council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
SLJBC’s objectives include promotion of trade and tourism between Sri Lanka and Japan and facilitate investment. It also liaises and coordinates with Sri Lanka’s Diplomatic Mission in Japan and the Diplomatic Mission of Japan in Sri Lanka on matters relevant to trade, tourism, and investment.
Other activities include exchanging information with relevant parties in the partner country regarding trade, investment, and tourism; facilitating meetings between Japanese businesses and relevant Sri Lankan counterparts including government officials; providing necessary services to Japanese investors and business representatives and advising the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on policy interventions to create a conducive environment for trade, tourism, and investment.
During the next five days, the private sector and officials will promote Sri Lanka as a strategically located destination for Japanese companies.
Sri Lanka presents significant opportunities to enhance market outreach, particularly with existing and proposed FTAs.
