Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Tokyo Sanjiv Gunasekara had resigned, well informed sources said.

The Ambassador’s letter of resignation has been sent to the Foreign Ministry from the US, where Gunasekera owns several businesses in Los Angeles.

Gunasekera, a long standing associate of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was cleared by the Parliamentary High Post Committee to assume duties as Sri Lanka’s top envoy in Japan on January 06, 2021.

Sources said that the resignation of the Ambassador took place amidst Sri Lanka’s efforts to secure as much as USD 3.5 bn loan from Japan as part of the overall efforts to overcome severe economic crisis. Sources pointed out that Japanese Ambassador in Colombo Mizukoshi Hideaki after having met new Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe immediately after the latter’s appointment left for Tokyo, where he was expected to discuss the latest developments here.

Sources said Sri Lanka – Japan relations suffered a serious setback after the Rajapaksa dispensation cancelled a Japanese funded light rail project no sooner they came back to power.

-report in The Island, May 25,2022
https://island.lk/lankas-amb-in-tokyo-quits-amidst-bid-to-secure-usd-loan/