Japan to continue assistance to Sri Lanka

Japan has assured continued support for developing Sri Lanka’s infrastructure facilities to improve the island’s transport, human resources and energy requirements.

Japan’s Vice Minister of Finance Yuko Obuchi gave this assurance to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa when they met at the Ministry office last Thursday (2 May).  The two Ministers agreed to further strengthen ties between the two countries in the areas of economic cooperation and investment promotion.

Vice Minister of Finance Yuko Obuchi praised Sri Lanka’s economic development and expressed satisfaction with the political environment and said she would encourage Japanese companies to invest in Sri Lanka.  

It was Minister Basil Rajapaksa who welcomed the high level Japanese delegation led by Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso when they arrived at the Katunayake Airport on 1 May on the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa recalled with gratitude the economic assistance Japan had extended to Sri Lanka during the anti-LTTE war and afterwards in assisting the country’s development projects.

The assistance given in resettling displaced persons, demining, repairing and reconstructing buildings and rebuilding roads destroyed in the war and improving the livelihood of the people symbolised the friendship and understanding between the two countries, the Minister added.

Noting the massive economic assistance Japan had given to Sri Lanka he stressed that Japanese technical know-how was essential for Sri Lanka’s development. He requested Vice Minister of Finance Obuchi to ensure that such knowledge is made available to this country, emphasising the importance of making Japanese technology available to low income groups in Sri Lanka and giving them the opportunity of reaping its benefits.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa drew attention to plans for improving Sri Lanka-Japan tourism and cited several projects that have been launched with Japanese help to promote eco-friendly tourism, citing as examples the Hamilton Canal Development Project and the Sigiriya tourism project.  He said that tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka had increased by 50% last year.

The Minister also explained to the Japanese Vice Finance Minister the infrastructure development taking place in the north to meet the requirements for drinking water, electricity and road construction among other needs.  

Among those who attended the meeting were the Japanese Finance Vice Minister’s Secretary Teruhiro Ozaki, Deputy Director of Development Finance Daizo Kojima, Japanese Foreign Ministry Official Takeshi Ozaki, Japan’s Ambassador in Sri Lanka Nobuhito Hobo, Japan Embassy Head of Economic Cooperation Section Suguru Minoya, Embassy Second Secretary Shuhei Takahashi and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Japan Wasantha Karannagoda.