Buddhist delegation that went to pre-WWII Japan

“It was the eve of World War II. The British Government in Sri Lanka was suspicious of Japan’s role in Asia, and a PanPacific Buddhist Conference (in Japan) must have added to their fears of Japanese hegemony in the region.

Upon the return of the (Ceylonese Buddhist) delegates from Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, some of them had Police detectives visiting their homes. Their job was to investigate the role of these Buddhists at the conference, and what they had seen in Japan. They were grilled about war preparations by Japan.

K. T. Wimalasekera recalls having seen Japanese war-time General Araki visiting their hotel and inspecting anti-aircraft guns on the roof-garden. When the CID

visited him at his new residence at Panadura and began recording his statement, Wimalasekera had denied any knowledge of seeing Japan getting ready for war, and had, only moments earlier torn and thrown away some of the incriminating photographs he had taken in

Japan during the visit. The anti-Imperialist, anti-British feeling running at the time in Sri Lanka is the only logical explanation for this course of action.”

(Extracts from 'They Turned the Tide –The 100 year history of the Maha Bodhi Society of Sri Lanka', page 124).