Ambassador Karannagoda calls on Japanese Dep. Chief Cabinet Secretary

Saturday, 1 February 2014 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan, called on Hiroshige Seko, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan on 31 January 2014. Seko is a Member of House of Councillors and has been the former Chairman of Committee on General Affairs of Diet, and Actg. Secretary General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. Seko also holds the position of being in-charge of the 242 Member House of Councillors (Upper House) of the Government of Japan. In the political hierarchy of Japan, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister wields an increasing degree of political influence and weightage. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko and the Ambassador discussed myriad issues of mutual relevance and importance to both the countries. The Ambassador expressed his appreciation to Seko for becoming a Member of Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League, which was formed in 1982. The key objectives of Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League are to strengthen and to deepen the relations between the two countries, in all spheres, and to promote friendship and culture, thus mutually benefitting both the countries. The two dignitaries discussed, in detail, some of the key investment and infrastructure projects including the maritime sector and potential projects in Sri Lanka, which would be funded by the Government of Japan. Seko has visited Sri Lanka twice in 2003 a

nd in 2009. In 2009, he visited Sri Lanka as the Envoy representing the Diet members and had met with the then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka.