Sri Lanka strengthens trade, investment, and tourism ties at World Expo 2025 in Osaka
Daily FT: Sri Lanka showcased its export potential, investment opportunities, and tourism offerings at the Sri Lanka Business Forum and Networking Session held on 26 September during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.
Organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan, and supported by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and the Sri Lanka Business Council of Japan (SLBCJ), the landmark event brought together around 20 leading Sri Lankan exporters from key sectors including apparel, tea, spices, gems and jewellery, food and beverages, handicrafts, and IT services. The Forum served as a dynamic platform to promote Sri Lanka’s authentic, high-quality, and globally trusted products to Japanese investors, importers, and industry leaders.
Opening the session, EDB Chairman/CEO Mangala Wijesinghe described the event as a milestone in strengthening the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and Japan.
“This forum demonstrates Sri Lanka’s commitment to building stronger economic bridges with Japan,” he said. “As Sri Lanka repositions itself as a regional trade hub, we are here to offer Japanese partners not only world-class products but also a stable and enabling business environment for investment.” He also highlighted Sri Lanka’s skilled workforce, improving logistics infrastructure, and its strategic location on major shipping lanes connecting East and West.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Japan Prof. Janak Kumarasinghe underscored the depth of bilateral ties, cultural exchanges, and long-standing trade cooperation between the two nations.
JETRO Osaka Director General Hideki Sho emphasised Japan’s keen interest in expanding trade with Sri Lanka at Expo 2025 Osaka–Kansai, noting Sri Lanka’s steady economic recovery with eight consecutive quarters of growth and rising exports and tourism. He highlighted Sri Lanka’s strong reputation in Japan for high-quality Ceylon Tea, the growing potential of graphite exports for lithium-ion batteries, and the promising IT services sector. He urged participants to seize the forum’s opportunities to deepen Japan–Sri Lanka economic ties.
Delivering the keynote address, Chathuranga Abeysinghe highlighted Sri Lanka’s investor-friendly policies, strategic role as a South Asian gateway, and its export strengths spanning apparel, agriculture, gems, ICT, wellness, and creative industries. He described Expo 2025 as a platform to transform long-standing friendship and development cooperation into stronger business partnerships in trade, investment, tourism, and technology. He also emphasised Sri Lanka’s post-bankruptcy recovery, ongoing reforms, and commitment to sustainability and entrepreneurship, inviting Japanese businesses to explore opportunities in manufacturing, innovation, and SME collaboration.
During the country presentations, the EDB highlighted Sri Lanka’s export potential in emerging sectors such as wellness products, ICT, and sustainable agriculture. The Board of Investment outlined the latest policy measures, fiscal incentives, and industrial zones available for foreign investors, while the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau showcased the island’s diverse tourism attractions—from UNESCO heritage sites and wellness retreats to adventure tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) opportunities.
These presentations were followed by a high-energy Business Networking Session, enabling Sri Lankan and Japanese businesses to explore collaboration opportunities, partnerships, and potential joint ventures. A networking lunch provided a relaxed environment for meaningful exchanges and relationship-building among participants.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s expanding trade, tourism and investment ties with Japan undoubtedly would further open a host of business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. While Sri Lanka’s economy is already on an expansion path with a target of achieving regional hub status and increasing interest among foreign businesses/investors to explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, Japanese businesses/investors could also look at being part of Sri Lanka’s economic expansion. Japan is already a key development partner of Sri Lanka with engagement in many development projects covering many economic sectors where Japanese businesses are also stakeholders. The success of Japanese businesses already operating in Sri Lanka also indicate the increasing business potential in the country. Supported by the country’s strategic positioning in the Indian Ocean, the strong trade ties with many foreign countries, the increasing business conducive environment in the country and the incentives on offer, Sri Lanka presents the ideal business destination in the South Asian region. Japanese businesses/investors could therefore explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka as well as look at expanding operations in the country through partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20251008/Z_3 |