The government of Japan announced the conferment of "The order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette" upon C. Lal De Alwis in recognition of his significant contribution in strengthening and deepening Japan and Sri Lanka relations.
A congratulatory message was sent by Fumio Kishida, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Japan, on November 3 upon the announcement stating "Please accept my sincerest congratulations on the conferment of 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette', in recognition of your outstanding contribution, and my best wishes for your continued good health and happiness".
De Alwis graduated in Business Management in 1976 and holds a Diploma in Professional Diplomacy and World Affairs which he obtained in 2011 conducted by the Bandaranaiyake International Training Institute. De Alwis followed two training programs organized in Japan by the Asian Productivity Organization and was able to transfer this technology to many private sector companies and government organizations through seminars conducted by the Japan Sri Lanka Technical Cultural Association (JASTECA). In 1983, he also followed the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) program for Cross - Cultural Management (PCCM) in Japan and was instrumental in introducing the 5S management practices in Sri Lanka. Since then, he has been supporting JASTECA in organizing seminars, workshops and also conducting an annual award scheme known as the Taiki Akimoto 5S awards and Kaizen Awards which have grown in popularity among many organizations and industries in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, Lal De Alwis has played a key role in promoting JASTECA activities for the last 30 years resulting in the Association being graded as one of the best AOTS Alumni Societies in the world by AOTS.
He also played a pioneering role together with the late Ian Dias Abeysinghe in establishing the Sri Lanka alumni of AOTS and ABKD known as the Asia Cultural Association in 1965 for the purpose of channeling technical training opportunities to Sri Lankans.
In February 1984, De Alwis together with Abeysinghe and assisted by four others established the Japan Sri Lanka Technical Cultural Association (JASTECA). In 1985, He was elected as the Secretary General of the JASTECA and became its president in 1984, 1989, 1990 and 1991. In 1989, he was unanimously elected to chair the World Convention of AOTS Alumni Societies held in Yokohama, Japan. On his initiative as the Chairman of the World Convention of AOTS an independent fund known as the WNF was established to assist developing countries.
He is a Life Member of the Lanka Japan Friendship Society (LJFS) & was appointed to the LJFS Executive Committee on 9th December 2015.


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