On 28th April 1952, Japan and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations when the San Francisco Peace Treaty came into force soon after the end of World War II. On 06th October 1954, Japan joined the Colombo Plan based in Sri Lanka which marked the commencement of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). Japan provided Sri Lanka with assistance equivalent to 1, 089 billion Japanese Yen (Approximately Rs.1, 525 billion) since 1965 at the end of Japanese fiscal year of 2010, in the form of grants, Yen loans and Technical Co-operation mainly by JICA. Mutual h8manitarian and emergency co-operation between Japan and Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the tsunami in Sri Lanka in 2004 and in Japan in 2011 too are significant. Japan also assisted Sri Lanka in rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts after the end of the conflict.

Approximately sixty Japanese companies are doing their businesses in Sri Lanka, and have contributed to creating employment opportunities, transferring Japanese’s technology, and introducing work ethics to Sri Lanka. Mutual friendly visits by prominent personalities such as parliamentarians, academics, artists, students and youth exchange programs have marked our long-standing friendly relations, Japan has extended co-operation to Sri Lanka in the educational field by providing Monbukagakusho scholarships for undergraduate, post-graduate and college of technology courses and also provided opportunities for youth exchange and human resources development in the public sector.