Japan bestows ‘The Order of the Rising Sun’ on two Sri Lankan biz personalities
Two business personalities of Sri Lanka have been named as recipients of “The Order of the Rising Sun” honour by the Government of Japan.
Kosala Rohana Wickramanayake, the recipient of the The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette is the Former President of the Lanka Japan Friendship Society and the Former President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka. He has contributed to promoting friendly relations and mutual understanding and economic exchange between Japan and Sri Lanka.
Wickramanayake has also contributed extensively to the promotion of economic relations between Sri Lanka and Japan, including as Managing Director of ‘Kosala Agencies’, an automobile importing company, and as a member of the Sri Lanka-japan Economic Committee, a forum where such business experience could be utilized in a manner more conducive to the expansion of economic relations between Japan and Sri Lanka.
Athulla Robert Francis Edirisinghe, recipient of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays is the Former President of the Japan Sri Lanka Technical & Cultural Association (JASTECA.)
Edirisinghe has promoted Japanese management practices to enhance productivity in the Sri Lankan economy and strengthened economic relations between Japan and Sri Lanka. Since joining the JASTECA in 1991, he has actively engaged in training programmes in Japan to acquire knowledge of Japanese management techniques such as 5S and Kaizen.
As President of JASTECA from 2013, he played a key role in creating new guidelines for CSR Sustainability Awards, organizing seminars on Japanese management, and advocating for the introduction of Japanese management practices in Sri Lanka. His efforts were recognized during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Sri Lanka in September 2014, where a joint statement by the two state leaders praised JASTECA, highlighting its role in promoting Japanese management practices in Sri Lanka and enhancing bilateral cooperation. This recognition has led to an increased awareness and trust in Japanese management practices in Sri Lanka, ultimately contributing to the positive image of Japan.