Japan and Sri Lanka to strengthen maritime security cooperation

Japan and Sri Lanka are to strengthen maritime security cooperation, the President’s media division said today.

The matter was discussed during a meeting between Japanese Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera, who is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, and President Maithripala Sirisena held at the Presidential Secretariat today.

This is the first time that a Japanese Defence Minister is visiting the country.

Japan and Sri Lanka are to strengthen maritime security cooperation, the President’s media division said today. The matter was discussed during a meeting between Japanese Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera, who is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, and President Maithripala Sirisena held at the Presidential Secretariat today. This is the first time that a Japanese Defence Minister is visiting the country. 

During the meeting the progress of the implementation of the agreements entered into during President Sirisena’a recent visit to Japan was reviewed. Both sides also discussed ways to develop the defence cooperation between the two countries while expanding the relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka. Special attention will be given towards strengthening the defence cooperation encompassing maritime security, the President’s office said.

As a result of 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 Coast Guard amounting to Rs.1.8 billion. During the meeting President Sirisena said he was happy that the Japanese Minister of Defence, during his two day visit will be travelling to the Habanthota and Trincomalee ports and added that the cooperation between the two countries will be strengthened through the programs conducted between two countries on coastal security.