Japan, Sri Lanka pledge to strengthen partnership

Leaders of Japan and Sri Lanka pledged to work towards strengthening the partnership beyond the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and a high level delegation in Japan on the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, welcomed the high level interaction as a platform to promote policy dialogue.

Both leaders decided to utilize wide ranging visits and dialogue to further reinforce the bilateral cooperation. Issuing a joint statement, they expressed their satisfaction at the outcome of the official working visit by President Rajapaksa which had provided further testimony to continuing excellent relations between the two countries.

At this meeting, President Mahinda Rajapaksa extended a cordial invitation to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to visit Sri Lanka to which the Japanese Prime Minister expressed his appreciation. At the Summit meeting which marked the mutual respect, understanding and historical relations between the two countries since the San Francisco Peace Conference in 1951, both leaders acknowledged the relationship of the two countries have matured and diversified with the passing of time, encompassing wide ranging areas of contemporary relevance, including trade and investment, development cooperation, culture and education.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa highly appreciated Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) over the years which played a significant role for the social and economic development of Sri Lanka.President Rajapaksa also appreciated the ongoing study of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on transport infrastructure for metropolitan area and expressed hope that Japan’s assistance would continue in this area to introduce a suitable transport system to mitigate traffic congestion and eliminate transport bottlenecks in the Colombo Metropolitan area and the suburbs. Prime Minister Abe expressed his profound gratitude on hehalf of the people of Japan for the heartfelt sympathy and support extended to them from the Government and people of Sri Lanka, following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The two leaders also had noted the need to cooperate in the field of disaster management as countries that had suffered natural calamity. The two leaders also agreed that as maritime countries, Japan and Sri Lanka had a responsibility to play important roles for the stability and prosperity of the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.