Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council holds 43rd AGM

Seated (from left): Mahen Kariyawasan, Merrick Gooneratne, Japanese Ambassador Hideaki Mizukoshi, Tilak de Zoysa and Dayasiri Warnakulasuriya

Standing (from left): Ruwan Waidyaratne, Julianne Boulton, Andre Fernando, Chanaka Kariyapperuma, Shamil Mendis, Tissa Jayaweera, Rohitha Mendis, Mahen Dayananda, Anel de Silva, Danasiri Wijedasa, Praharsha Gangaboda and Jeewana Waidyaratne – Pix by Upul Abayasekara

Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mizukoshi Hideaki

Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council President Mahen Kariyawasam

Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council Immediate Past President Merrick Gooneratne

The 43rd Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was held last week at the Ramada Hotel Colombo.

Japanese Ambassador Hideaki Mizukoshi, who is also the Patron of the Council, was the Chief Guest at the AGM.

The Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council was set up 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 and Industry (JCCI). The SLJBC is the first bilateral business council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The main objective of the Business Council is the promotion of trade and tourism between Sri Lanka and Japan, as well as the facilitation of investments.

Andrew The Travel Company Ltd. Managing Director Mahen Kariyawasan was elected by the members, as the President of the Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council for the year 2022-2023. Hayleys Advantis Ltd. Managing Director Ruwan Waidyaratne, Hirohama Ceylon Ltd. Director Athulla R.F. Edirisinghe, Prudential Shipping Lines Ltd. Managing Director Rohitha Mendis, ASOL Traders Proprietor Chanaka Kariyapperuma, and Metatechno Lanka Company Ltd. Director/General Manager Jeewana Waidyaratne, were elected as Vice Presidents for the year 2022-2023.

TOS Lanka Ltd. Executive Director Merrick Gooneratne will serve on the Committee as the Immediate Past President. Deshabandu Tilak de Zoysa and Desamanya Deva Rodrigo will continue to serve on the Committee as Advisers during the year 2022-2023.

The Business Council members: Heritage Teas Ltd., Hsenid Business Solution Ltd., MAC Holdings Ltd., Midaya Ceramic Co. Ltd., Spear International Ltd., TJ Associates, and Venora International Projects Ltd., were elected as Committee Members for the year 2022-2023.

During the period under review, the Council organised events and webinars for the benefit of its members and other companies engaged in doing business with Japan. This included a seminar titled ‘Towards Sri Lankan Manufacturing Excellence – The Dockyard Way’, which featured a keynote address by Colombo Dockyard PLC Chairman H. Tanaka, and a webinar titled ‘Beyond COVID-19: Business Opportunities in Japan’. The Ambassadors of Japan to Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka to Japan made opening remarks at this webinar, while presentations on Business Opportunities available for Sri Lankan companies in Japan following the COVID-19 pandemic and how Sri Lankan companies could make best use of these opportunities were also featured.

Companies interested in joining the membership of the Sri Lanka-Japan Business Council may contact Julianne at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on tel. no. 0115588875 to obtain further information.