Japanese poltician to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 December 2004, 05:39 GMT]
Mr.Keishiro Fukushima, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, will be in Sri Lanka on a four day visit from 25th to 28th December 2004. Mr. Fukushima is a member of the House of Councillors under the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a press release by the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said Wednesday.

"Mr. Fukushima's visit to Sri Lanka is primarily for the purpose of exchanging views with officials of the Government of Sri Lanka on strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Japan. He will discuss with Sri Lankan officials on ODA (Official Development Assistance), cultural exchanges, tourism, commerce as well as the peace process, " the embassy press release said, adding that his visit to Sri Lanka is a follow-up on the recent visit to Japan by Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka/

THe press release said that Mr. Kadirgamar proposed a "deepening and widening of bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Japan."

During his short visit to Sri Lanka, Mr.Fukushima is scheduled to meet with [Sri Lanka's] Prime Minister, Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse, Mr. Vijitha Herath, Minister of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage, Mrs. Sumedha G. Jayasena, Minister of Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare, Mr. Vishva Warnapala Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Asoka Jayawardane, Defence Secretary, the embassy said.

Mr. Fukushima will also visit Japanese ODA sites such as the Colombo Port, the Morenna Agriculture Technology Transfer & Training Centre in Morenna, the Minor Export Crop Promotion Centre in Walpita and will meet with a group of farmers in the Aluthgama-Bogamuwa area, the release added.