26 September 2022 06:35 am
President Ranil Wickremesinghe left the island early this morning on an official tour to Japan & Philippines, the President’s Media Division said.
It said that the President will attend the state funeral of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe & hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister & several ministers prior to heading to the Philippines.
Meanwhile During the President’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.
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.