“During our visit to Japan, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning announced that the next Free Trade Agreement would be with Japan. We presume that it would be initiated in 2015. Therefore, in preparation to ensure that we look after the interests of our membership to further enhance their trading activities with Japan, we will be carrying out a comprehensive study on the “Potential areas of items to include in the Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and Japan”. 

Inputs will be sourced from our membership and we will prepare the report that would be presented to the Government of Sri Lanka for consideration in the future” said Daya Weththasinghe, re-elected President of the Sri Lanka – Japan Business Co-operation Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at the Annual General Meeting and the Interactive Evening to bid Farewell to Masahide Sakishige, Resident Representative of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) held on 25th July 2014 at the Auditorium of the Chamber.

His Excellency Nobuhito Hobo, Ambassador for Japan graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

The Sri Lanka – Japan Business Co-operation Committee (SLJBCC) was set up in 1979 by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce following a Memorandum of Understanding with the Japan - Sri Lanka Business Co-operation Committee (JSLBCC) setup by the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI). Since then, 17 joint meetings have been held in Sri Lanka and Japan, the most recent in Tokyo, Japan in June 2014. The SLJBCC is the first bilateral business council to be set up by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and its membership to date is 96.

The main objective of SLJBCC is to promote trade in goods, tourism and other services between Sri Lanka and Japan and to promote investment from Japan to Sri Lanka and encourage the establishment of joint ventures in Sri Lanka with investors from Japan. It also facilitate exchange information on trade and investment with the appropriate authorities and institutions in Japan and recommend proposals to the Governments of Sri Lanka and or Japan to promote bi-lateral trade and investment.