There is great potential in Sri Lanka and there is a need to create more awareness in Japan about Sri Lanka, said Dr. Akio Mimura,, Senior Advisor, Chairman of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporationthe and leader of the Japanese business delegation addressing a press briefing in Colombo.
A delegation of 59 chairmen, chief executive officers and leading officials of some of the largest, most important and best known Japanese companies visited Sri Lanka on a special invitation of the Prime Minister and participated at the Sri Lanka-Japan Economic Forum organized by the BOI at the Shangri-La Hotel .
The final event was a panel discussion that provided an insight into doing business in Sri Lanka where the participants were Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy, the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Duminda Ariyasinghe, Director General of BOI, Mangala Yapa, Board Director of BOI, Dr. Toru Takehara, Chairman, Colombo Dockyard.
At a press conference held after the forum, Dr. Akio Mimura, the leader of the delegation further said, “my impression was that it was a good decision on our part to visit Sri Lanka and indeed we rediscovered the country.” He added “I also note the high GDP per capita by the standard of South Asia. Also important are the free trade agreements with other countries.” He concluded by stating “I have come to the conclusion that there is great potential in Sri Lanka and a need to create more awareness in Japan about this country. Fortunately the Japan Chamber of Commerce is a huge organization. I will convey the information gathered during my stay including the messages from your President and your prime minister.”
In addition Sri Lanka and Japan have signed investment protection and avoidance of double taxation agreements.Business relations are further facilitated by the presence of two Japanese banks namely Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ and Mizuho Bank having signed MoUs with the BOI to co-operate on promoting Sri Lanka to Japanese entrepreneurs.
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