As part of the promotional visit to Niigata, Ambassador E. Rodney M. Perera paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Governor of Niigata Prefecture, Mr. Koichi Kasatori, on June 8, 2023, and exchanged views on enhancing ties between Niigata and Sri Lanka.
While welcoming the Ambassador to Niigata Prefecture, the Deputy Governor highlighted that the prefecture is home to over 200 Sri Lankans, who are contributing to many areas of Niigata after completing their studies in a variety of disciplines. The Deputy Governor added that he is aware of Sri Lanka's world-famous UNESCO world heritage sites, such as "Sigiriya " and revealed the Sado gold mines, which had been producing gold since the Edo period, will be designated as Niigata Prefecture's first world heritage site next year.
Ambassador Perera informed the Deputy Governor that the purpose of his visit was to explore the closer collaboration between Niigata Prefecture and Sri Lanka, which share many commonalities such as islands, sea, fish, rice, among many others. The Ambassador also emphasized that encouraging Sri Lankans to come to Niigata, learn the language, and enroll in technical colleges and universities will help them learn about technological advancements in fields such as fishing and rice cultivation, allowing them to contribute to both Niigata as well as Sri Lanka upon their return.
The Deputy Governor conveyed his appreciation to the Ambassador for his visit to Niigata and reaffirmed his support for organizing a mini-Sri Lanka festival proposed by the Ambassador to showcase Sri Lankan food, tea, culture, wellness and tourist attractions in order to foster future linkages and partnerships.
Sri Lanka Embassy
Tokyo
15 June 2023
