Sri Lanka President meets Japanese Prime Minister in Tokyo

The official welcoming ceremony for Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is on an official visit to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese Government, was held this morning (September 29) at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba received President Dissanayake on arrival, where a Guard of Honour was accorded by the Japan Self-Defence Forces. The President inspected the parade before official discussions commenced.

Talks between President Dissanayake and Prime Minister Ishiba focused on strengthening the longstanding friendship between the two countries and expanding cooperation in trade, investment, the economy, development assistance, and regional security. Documents were also exchanged on development cooperation, including the Project for the Enhancement of Productivity in the Dairy Sector and the Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme.

At a joint media briefing, Prime Minister Ishiba stressed that Sri Lanka’s stability and development were of critical importance given its strategic position in the Indian Ocean. He said Japan looked forward to deepening its partnership with Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake highlighted that ties between Sri Lanka and Japan are built on mutual trust, respect and people-to-people links. He described the talks as a milestone in bilateral relations and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to ensuring the agreements deliver tangible results.

The President also thanked Japan for resuming 11 development projects in Sri Lanka that had been stalled due to the recent economic crisis and for its assistance in the IMF-led debt restructuring process.

Following the official talks, a joint statement was released. The President and his delegation later attended a luncheon hosted in his honour by Prime Minister Ishiba.

The Sri Lankan delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusuf, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Japan Professor Pivithuru Janak Kumarasinghe, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Senior Economic Adviser to the President Duminda Hulugamuwa, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A high-level Japanese delegation also participated.