MR off to Tokyo next week

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is set to undertake a four-day official visit to Japan to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Japan-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations early next week.

President Rajapaksa will leave for Tokyo on 12 March.

The President is expected to meet with Japanese Emperor Akihito Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and trade and defence officials during his visit there.

The visit was scheduled to have taken place in December 2012, but was postponed due to political changes in Japan following the election there. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1952.

Japan is currently a member state of the UN Human Rights Council where Sri Lanka faces a resolution sponsored by the United States Government. President Rajapaksa is also expected to hold discussions with Japanese officials regarding the developments in Geneva, the Daily FT learns.