Visit to Japan by Hon. Anura Bandaranaike, Minister of National Heritage of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

May 9, 2007

Hon. Anura Bandaranaike, Minister of National Heritage of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Former Speaker of the Parliament), will visit Japan upon invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from May 11 (Fri) to 17 (Thu).

During his visit, Hon. Bandaranaike will meet with Mr. Masayoshi Hamada, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, Member of the House of Representatives (President of the Japan-Sri Lanka Association), Mr. Hosei Norota, Member of the House of Representatives (President of the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentarians’ Friendship League), Mr. Yasushi Akashi, Representative of the Government of Japan, and other Japanese key dignitaries. He will also attend a ceremony at Tama Zoological Park on May 12 (Sat), celebrating the 50th year anniversary since the arrival in Japan of a Sri Lankan elephant (also called Anura).

The elephant was presented by Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the late Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, to commemorate T.I.H. Prince and Princess Mikasa’s visit to Sri Lanka in 1956. The elephant was named after Hon. Anura Bandaranaike, current Minister of National Heritage, who is the son of the late Prime Minister Bandaranaike. The ceremony will be attended by T.I.H. Prince and Princess Mikasa, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, H.E. Mr. Ranjith Uyangoda, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Japan, and others.

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