Shotaro Noda’s Visit To Colombo From Japan In 1890
| by Laksiri Fernando
( September 8, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) Japan undoubtedly is a country that Sri Lanka could always learn; learn critically and constructively. Japan has a special favour for Sri Lanka for several reasons and it is not clear whether Sri Lanka has always reciprocated this goodwill in equal measure in its diplomatic and international relations. A particular reason for this goodwill in political sphere is JR Jayewardene’s speech at the San Francisco Conference (1945) where he strongly urged that Japan should not be punished unreasonably. Both countries are predominantly Buddhist, and it is also believed that Hinduism also influenced Japan to an extent in its Shinto religion or at least there are parallel beliefs and rituals between the two.
