Support has been provided since the preparatory survey completed in 2014; the Japanese standard's Emergency Warning Broadcast System will also help deliver disaster information

A launch ceremony for the Digitalization of Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Project, a Japanese official development assistance (ODA) loan project in Sri Lanka, was held on September 28, 2026, at the Lotus Tower in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Consulting services for the project are provided by a joint venture (JV) of three companies: Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd., as lead firm; Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.; and Skills International Pvt. Ltd. The ceremony was attended by Sri Lanka's cabinet members including Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media of Sri Lanka, and by ISOMATA Akio, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Sri Lanka.
The project will develop 16 transmitting stations and related facilities nationwide for the transition of Sri Lanka from analog broadcasting to digital terrestrial broadcasting based on the Japanese standard, ISDB-T. Yachiyo Engineering has been involved in the project since the preparatory survey, which was completed in 2014.

Congratulatory remarks at the launch ceremony (left: Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media;
center: ISOMATA Akio, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Sri Lanka;
right: Prasanga Rajapaksha, Project Director)

・Overview of the Launch Ceremony・

Themed "THE NEXT WAVE OF TELEVISION," the ceremony was held at 2:00 p.m. local time on the 25th floor of the Lotus Tower. Attendees from Sri Lanka included Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media; Krishantha Abeysena, Minister of Science and Technology; Kaushalya Ariyarathne, Deputy Minister of Mass Media; Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy; and secretaries of the relevant ministries, along with other government officials, media executives and journalists. Attendees from Japan included Ambassador ISOMATA Akio; HONZU Shigeo, Chief Representative of the JICA Sri Lanka Office; and members of the consulant JV. Following congratulatory remarks from government representatives, Project Director Prasanga Rajapaksha presented an overview of the project.

・Yachiyo Engineering's Role・

Commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Yachiyo Engineering conducted the Preparatory Survey for the project from 2012 to 2014, followed by the Special Assistance for Project Implementation from 2016 to 2018. Through these engagements, the company helped review the transmitting station and frequency plans, draw up a transition plan to digital terrestrial broadcasting, and prepare Sri Lanka's technical standards.
The JV is responsible for basic and detailed design, tender assistance, construction supervision, and training in operation and maintenance.

＜Overview of the ODA Loan Project＞

・Adoption of the Japanese Standard and Project Background・

In March 2014, the Sri Lankan Cabinet decided to adopt the Japanese standard for digital terrestrial broadcasting. The Japanese standard includes functions such as the Emergency Warning Broadcast System（EWBS）, which delivers alerts simultaneously in the event of a disaster, and data broadcasting. Sri Lanka has repeatedly experienced natural disasters, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and EWBS was one of the main reasons the country chose the Japanese standard. In November 2025, Cyclone Ditwah caused floods and landslides in many parts of the country, and the rapid delivery of disaster information via television has become an important challenge for Sri Lanka.
In September 2014, the governments of Japan and Sri Lanka exchanged notes on the ODA loan. However, the project could not get underway for several years due to a review of the broadcasting standard following a change of government, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis that began in 2022. The ODA loan was resumed in 2024, and the consulting services contract with the JV was signed in April 2025. The JV is currently carrying out design and tender preparations for transmitters and antennas, the monitoring system for the digital terrestrial broadcasting platform, station buildings and other facilities.

・Outlook・

The JV will support the tender procedures for the transmission equipment and the digital TV center, and will then supervise construction. The Sri Lankan government plans to switch off analog broadcasting in 2030.
Drawing on its experience supporting the introduction of Japanese-standard digital terrestrial broadcasting in countries such as the Maldives and Botswana, Yachiyo Engineering will help ensure a smooth digital transition in Sri Lanka.