Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe has been elected as the President of the Sri Lanka – Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association for the Tenth Parliament.
The revival meeting of the Friendship Association was held on 9th April 2025 at the Parliament premises under the patronage of the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Rizvie Salih.
The Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, H.E. Akio Isomata, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. The event was also attended by Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, and the Acting Secretary General of Parliament, Mr. Chaminda Kularatne.
At the meeting, Member of Parliament Chithral Fernando, Attorney-at-Law, was elected as the Secretary of the Sri Lanka – Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association.
Both sides highlighted the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan, noting the seven decades of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two nations. They expressed a strong commitment to further strengthening cooperation in key areas such as infrastructure, health, education, trade, and investment.
It was also emphasized that the newly revived Friendship Association would serve as a platform to foster greater interaction between the two countries, including enhanced people-to-people ties and closer collaboration between the two legislative bodies. (Parliament)