Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with Kenji Kuronuma, the newly appointed Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), at Parliament on Thursday (June 5) to reaffirm the longstanding development partnership between Sri Lanka and Japan.
Kuronuma reiterated JICA’s continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka, particularly in the education sector, aligning with the Government’s emphasis on accountability, transparency and inclusive reform.
The meeting focused on expanding inclusive education, especially for children with special needs. Key areas of collaboration discussed included:
- Establishing special education units in all administrative divisions
- Revising teacher training curricula
- Conducting needs assessments to guide implementation
- Promoting vocational training and overseas employment opportunities
- Enhancing Japanese language instruction for Sri Lankan job seekers
The Prime Minister congratulated Kuronuma on his new role and welcomed continued technical cooperation from JICA, highlighting its alignment with national development priorities.
Also present at the meeting were Prime Minister’s Secretary Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary Sagarika Bogahawatta, Foreign Affairs Ministry Acting Director General Ruwanthi Delpitiya, Assistant Director Gayanga Dias, and officials from the External Resources Department.
