President Ranil Wickremesinghe has left the island early this morning (26) on an official visit to Japan and Philippines.

During his two-day official visit to Japan, the President will participate in the funeral ceremony of the former Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe, and will hold bilateral discussions with the Japanese Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Finance Minister during this tour.
 
Thereafter, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to leave for the Philippines to preside over the meeting of the Governors of the Asian Development Bank.

During his visit to the Philippines, President Wickremesinghe will hold discussions with the President of the Philippines Bongbong Marcos and the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masatsugu Asakawa.

The President is scheduled to return to the island upon completion of his official tour on the 30th of September.

During President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official overseas tour, the state ministers of the ministries under the purview of the President, will be appointed as acting ministers to oversee their operations, the PMD said.

Accordingly, State Minister Premitha Bandara has been appointed as the Acting Defence Minister, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe as the Acting Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization & National Policies, State Minister Dilum Amunugama as the Acting Minister of Investment Promotion, State Minister Kanaka Herath as the Acting Minister of Technology and State Minister Anupa Pasqual has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment.