Japan happy with ‘new’ Sri Lanka: Harsha

The Japanese government is happy with the ‘new’ Sri Lanka, Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Harsha de Silva said following talks in Japan yesterday.

Dr Harsha de Silva met with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Hitoshi Kikawada today and discussed several issues.

 “President Sirisena has been invited to the G7 summit this summer to Japan. A rare honour and a first for Sri Lanka. 

He will participate in the G7 outreach sessions with a few other invited leaders from emerging nations. I had a long discussion with the 46 year old vibrant no 2 in the foreign ministry over a nice traditional Japanese lunch about the proposed G7 meeting and a host of issues relating to trade, investment, development cooperation and maritime security and defence cooperation between our two countries,” Dr Harsha de Silva said.

He said that Japan is very happy with the ‘new’ Sri Lanka and are eager to invest and work together on keeping the region safe.

This, he said, is based on the Joint Declaration between the Japanese Prime Minister and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe signed in October 2015.

 “Soon we will see a major Japanese infrastructure related activity in Sri Lanka… but will wait for official announcement,” de Silva added.

He said that the friendship between Japan and Sri Lanka has been a long and a fruitful one and both sides resolved to further strengthen the friendship. (Colombo Gazette)