Sri Lanka has potential to attract Japanese investors - Japanese Ambassador

"Sri Lanka has great potential to attract Japanese investors who are interested in investing in Sri Lanka," said Nobuhito Hobo, Ambassador for Japan during his visit to the Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

During the discussion with Susantha Ratnayake, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce it was also said that the Japanese Travel Agents who recently concluded a visit to Sri Lanka were impressed by the peaceful atmosphere prevalent in the country and the ability of tourists as well as locals to freely travel anywhere in Sri Lanka.

He said that it sends a positive sign to Japanese tourists to visit Sri Lanka in the future.

The number of Japanese tourists to Sri Lanka used to be one of the highest earlier and Sri Lanka can look forward to increase the number fo tourist arrivals from Japan in the future.

Speaking about Foreign Direct Investment, the Ambassador emphasised the importance of having clear policies to attract Japanese investors to Sri Lanka. Japanese manufacturers are at present re-locating their manufacturing plants and Sri Lanka is one of the destinations they are looking at to set up factories.

Some of the key factors that have contributed to making Sri Lanka attractive to the Japanese manufacturers is the geographical location of the country, availability of skilled labour and a wealth of natural resources in Sri Lanka.

Commenting on developing the North and the East, the ambassador indicated that in addition to developing ports and infrastructure, sea cucumber and sea weed cultivation are potential areas to promote in these areas. He also said that Japanese manufacturers belonging to a variety of sectors, securities and banking businesses are also on the look out to expand businesses out of Japan and Sri Lanka should attract them.

Nobuhito Hobo also met Committee Members of the Sri Lanka - Japan Business Co-operation Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and discussed arrangements planned to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Japan during 2012.

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) set up by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry.