The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan, in collaboration with the Export Development Board, successfully organised the Japan–Sri Lanka ICT Business Matching Event 2026 at the Minato City Industrial Promotion Centre in Tokyo. The event brought together key stakeholders from Sri Lanka and Japan to strengthen cooperation in the digital sector, enhance bilateral ICT collaboration, and promote innovation-driven, mutually beneficial partnerships in the digital economy.
The programme featured 10 leading Sri Lankan ICT companies—Adventa, Bileeta, Calcey, EFutures, Effective, Imara, Kingslake, Lonnslab, Synergy, and Zillione—and attracted more than 50 representatives from Japanese IT firms and major institutions. Official partners included the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Minato City Industrial Promotion Center (MCIPC), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment.
Prof. Pivithuru Janak Kumarasingha, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan, delivered the opening remarks, highlighting Sri Lanka’s growing reputation as a competitive player in the global ICT industry. He noted that the sector has become the country’s second-largest export earner, generating over USD 1.5 billion annually, and emphasised its strengths in software development, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and R&D, supported by a skilled workforce of more than 85,000 professionals.
Guest speaker Yuji Ando, Senior Director of JETRO, highlighted the distinct advantages of Sri Lanka’s ICT sector, including strong communication skills, international project experience, and cultural compatibility with Japan. He noted that Sri Lankan firms offer a collaborative approach that extends beyond outsourcing, contributing to problem-solving, requirement analysis, and innovation-led development.
Government committed to maintaining energy supply for uninterrupted industrial activity
Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, has emphasised the Government’s top priority of ensuring stability in energy supply to support uninterrupted industrial activity, speaking at the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) 40th Anniversary celebration held in Colombo recently.
Addressing the event, he also highlighted the need to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s supply chains, noting that while exporters are increasingly proactive in diversifying markets, additional reforms are still required. He reiterated that the Government is strongly focused on export-led industrial growth, which is also reflected in efforts to further strengthen the Export Development Board (EDB).
A key announcement during his speech was the planned introduction of a major structural reform aimed at the gradual removal of para-tariffs. The Deputy Minister noted that this initiative is intended to enhance competitiveness and support export-driven growth by reducing input costs and improving Sri Lanka’s participation in multilateral trade agreements, while also acknowledging potential impacts on certain domestic industries.
He further underscored the importance of improving product complexity, increasing labour force participation, boosting productivity, and strengthening innovation and supply chain integration. Exporters were encouraged to invest in research and development and build stronger backward linkages to ensure traceability and compliance with evolving global standards.
Abeysinghe also acknowledged the resilience of Sri Lankan exporters amid ongoing global and domestic challenges, noting that export performance has remained steady despite uncertainty. Reiterating the Government’s commitment, he stressed once again the importance of maintaining a stable energy supply to ensure continuous industrial operations, alongside efforts to reinforce supply chain efficiency.
The event also marked the official launch of the SLAB-endorsed Certificate of Ethical Trading (CET), reflecting the Chamber’s continued focus on ethical business practices and international compliance standards. Commemorating four decades of service to Sri Lanka’s export sector, the anniversary programme featured the unveiling of the NCE corporate video, the launch of a 40th anniversary lapel pin, and a special edition of the Exporter Magazine. Tokens of appreciation were also presented to past presidents, partners, and special invitees, while Indhra Kaushal Rajapaksa was re-elected as President of the NCE for the upcoming term.
Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan hosts Japan–Sri Lanka ICT Business Matching Event 2026
