COLOMBO ; The Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa conveyed Japan’s intension to further support Sri Lanka’s development by swiftly resuming existing ‘Yen loan projects’ once the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on debt restructuring is signed and the Sri Lankan government’s intention to swiftly conclude bilateral agreement is confirmed.
Addressing a joint media briefing this afternoon (04) with her Sri Lankan counterpart, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, Ms. Kamikawa expressed Japan’s intension to continue to support Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts for national reconciliation.
Meanwhile, she mentioned that various reforms that Sri Lanka is currently undertaking are all essential for the normalization of the Sri Lanka’s economy.
“Furthermore, Japan and Sri Lanka are both island nations surrounded by the sea. Japan intends to further strengthen co-operation with Sri Lanka in the maritime domain in order to realize an open Indo-Pacific”, the Japanese Foreign Minister expressed.
Additionally, she revealed that Japan will offer an equipped vessel to be used for compiling maritime data and charts based on a request made by Sri Lanka.
The Japanese envoy said Japan is hopeful that Sri Lanka will bring itself back on track for economic development as soon as possible and make further progress as the hub in the Indian Ocean.
“Japan will continue to stand by Sri Lanka through this endeavor”, she added.
Japanese Foreign Minister calls on President Ranil, discuss future investment projects
Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa has called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
The discussions were focused on Sri Lanka’s ongoing debt restructuring process, the economic recovery efforts and future investment projects by Japan in Sri Lanka.
Minister Sabry said ; “It is an honour and great pleasure for Sri Lanka to welcome Minister Yoko
Kamikawa, who is on an official visit, leading a high-level delegation wh ich
consists of senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and
officials from other government agencies.
Japan and Sri Lanka have close and friendly relations for the past 72 years.
In the recent past we have further enhanced our relations with several
exchanges of high-level visits. The visit of the President of Sri Lanka to Japan
in May last year, and the visit to Sri Lanka by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi,
in his capacity as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in July last year as well as
the visit of the Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi in January this year demonstrate the importance both Sri Lanka and Japan attach to the excellent bilateral relations.
This afternoon, Foreign Minister Kamikawa will calion His Excellency Rani!
Wickremesinghe the President, and the Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, the Prime
Minister.
Minister Kamikawa and I have had the opportunity to
hold detailed bilateral discussions on a range of topics.
At the outset f I have conveyed Sri Lanka’s deep appreciation for the solidarity
and assistance Japan has extended to in the past years when the country was
going through the unprecedented economic crisis.
We remain very grateful to Japan for the important supportive role it played in
the external debt restructuring process as a co-chair of the Official Creditor
Committee (OCC), as well as for its grant assistance.
I have highlighted that Sri Lanka has worked diligently to stabilize the economy,
enhance debt sustainability and implement growth-oriented structural reforms.
As of today, the country has not only recovered from an economic collapse,”
