Japan offers assistance to strengthen Sri Lanka’s maritime security
Attention has been drawn to further strengthening the maritime security cooperation between Japan and Sri Lanka.
This was disclosed during the meeting between Japanese Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera (who is currently on a two-day official visit) and President Maithripala Sirisena held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.
This is the first time that a Japanese Defence Minister is visiting the country, and the Minister was warmly welcomed by the President.
During the meeting, the progress of the implementation of the agreements entered during President Sirisena’a recent visit to Japan were reviewed and further discussed the ways to develop defence cooperation between the two countries while expanding the relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka. A special attention was given towards strengthening the defence cooperation encompassing maritime security.
In response to the discussions held between President Maithripala Sirisena and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Japanese Government took steps to provide two patrol boats for the Sri Lankan Costal Guards costing Rs.1.8 billion. The President expressed his gratitude to the Japanese Minister.
President Sirisena said he was happy that Japanese Minister of Defence, during his two day visit will be travelling to Habanthota and Trincomalee ports, and added that the cooperation between the two countries will be strengthened through the programmes conducted between two countries on coastal security.