Two Japanese parliamentarians, the president, of the New Renaissance Party, a member of the House of Councilors, Arai Hiroyuki and government parliamentarian, Shimpei Matsushita, in Colombo last week, met the press recently.

Invited by the chairman, of Sri Lanka Japan Friendship Association, Medagama Sunil Gamage and addressing the press, Arai Hiroyuki said their visit was, at this stage of Sri Lanka’s ECU nomic development, important to further cement friendly ties between both countries.

Simultaneously, subject to worldwide advances in electronics and computer science, assistance from the Japanese government to initiate similar advancement here was now opportune and synchronized with projected development in Sri Lanka. Advancing the current electronic mode operative in analog applications to an advanced digital format would coincide with Sri Lanka’s growing entry into the global environment of worldwide communication.

During their past visits, they met former President Mahinda Rajapakse, and during the present visit President Maithripala Sirisena.

Their short stay currently was to initiate two aspects of economic development here. One was the initiation of electronic advances and the second was to establish the Institute for Traditional Plants for Medicinal Investigation, as well as investigate plant species for biproducts that could be based on the manufacture of perfumes.

Subject to project proposals and eventual approvals, money that would be involved under Japanese Grant Aid was approximately 40 million Dollars. Project romances would also attract 400 million Dollars for personnel training, and attributable equipment that would be necessary for ancillary assistance to ensure the effective realization and completion of this project.

Sri Lanka’s economic development was noted in most South East Asian countries and given its importance in the Asian region, the Japanese government would contribute to its development.

Implementation would be effective from 2017, with projected completion by 2020. The three-year cycle was necessary because of growing advances in digital technology.

The Institute for Traditional Plants was an additional aspect of their visit. Sri Lanka and its comparative action to safeguard the environment and maintain the established ecological balance was also noted. Within these broad-based possibilities, the protection of the greenness on the island was to be further enhanced.

Sunil Gamage, fluent in Japanese, translated the discussion conducted into the Japanese language.