Senaka Weeraratna, Attorney – at Law, delivered a talk on the premises of the Japanese Parliament (Diet) on November 14, 2018 thanking Japan for liberating Asia.
Posted on August 11th, 2026
Senaka Weeraratna
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The expression of gratitude delivered by Sri Lankan attorney Senaka Weeraratna at the Japanese Parliament (Diet) on November 14, 2018, was received with deep appreciation, validation, and a profound sense of historical vindication by the Japanese conservative establishment. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The lecture, titled “Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour ignited the liberation of Asia from Western domination – Time for Asia to express gratitude to Japan,” was organized by the Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact. [1]
The primary responses and impacts of his speech include:
- Official Vindication and Reciprocal Gratitude: Following the address, Kase Hideaki, a prominent Japanese diplomatic critic and Chairman of the Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact, delivered a formal Vote of Thanks. Kase stated that Weeraratna’s words brought profound pride to those who felt Japan’s true wartime legacy had been distorted by Western-centric history. He noted that while Japan did not look to Asian nations for gratitude, the acknowledgment from a Sri Lankan intellectual was deeply moving. [1, 2, 3]
- Preservation of the Speech as a Historical Document: The Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact officially translated, published, and archived the entire text of Weeraratna’s speech. They utilized it as an educational and diplomatic tool to argue against the outcomes of the post-WWII Tokyo Trials, which they view as Victor’s Justice. [1, 3, 4]
- Tangible Diplomatic Reciprocity: Weeraratna’s speech had direct geopolitical ramifications. It is widely acknowledged in Sri Lankan foreign policy circles that this specific expression of gratitude directly influenced Japan’s surprising decision to abstain from voting against Sri Lanka on a highly critical Western-backed resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). [1]
- Reinforcement of Historic Ties: For the Japanese public and political figures, Weeraratna’s speech reinforced a long-standing historical bond. It directly mirrored the famous 1951 San Francisco Peace Conference defense of Japan by former Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene. The speech reminded the Japanese people of Sri Lanka’s generational role as a unique defender of Japan’s place in the international community. [1, 2, 3, 4]
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AI Overview
The speech in the Japanese Parliament (Diet) that won Japan’s abstention on the Resolution against Sri Lanka at UNHRC
Kasi Hideaki’s Vote of Thanks to Senaka Weeraratna’s speech at the Japanese Parliament on November 14, 2018