Eight students of the Department of Social Sciences under the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences and Humanities of KDU have been selected for a Study Tour to Japan in September 2022. This tour will be held under the International Youth Exchange Programme (Sakura Science Programme) funded by the Japanese Government, and the students of KDU will be hosted by J.F. Oberlin University, Japan.

With the motive of helping the students better prepare for their upcoming tour, a pre-departure information session was hosted by His Excellency Mr. MIZUKOSHI Hideaki the Ambassador to Japan in Sri Lanka on the 23rd of August 2022 from 1400 hours to 1530 hours at the Embassy of Japan. Further, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences and Humanities (FMSH) Mr. Kithsiri Amaratunga, Course Coordinator and Senior Lecturer Dr. Hemantha Premarathne, Assistant Registrar of the FMSH Ms. Gayanika Silva and the Project Staff accompanied the students.

His Excellency Mr. MIZUKOSHI Hideaki opened the forum by welcoming the gathering and being acquainted with the students followed by a short brief by Mr. Kithsiri Amaratunga on the significance of the pre-departure session and the Study Tour. Thereafter, Ms. Chiharu Hoshiai the first secretary and Mr. Hiroki Inoue the second secretary of the Embassy conducted a very informative presentation on Japanese culture, tradition, and other important matters regarding travel to Japan. The day’s events came to a close with an open discussion between the panel from the embassy and the students of KDU on various aspects of the tour in Japan, as well as the economies of the two countries and the importance of furthering strong bonds between the two nations through programmes such as this.

The session was coordinated by Ms. Gayani Perera, Assistant – Economic & Development Cooperation Section at the Embassy of Japan and Dr. Hemantha Premarathne, the Coordinator of the Study Tour on the side of KDU. This was a highly valuable session that gave a sound exposure for the students of KDU, and the University is thankful to the Embassy of Japan and its staff for all their efforts to make the event a success.