Press Releases
Meeting Between State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishi and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Samarawickrama
On 28 October, commencing at 4:40pm for about 30 minutes, Mr. Nobuo Kishi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, exchanged opinions with the Hon. Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka during his visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. At the beginning of the meeting, State Minister Kishi explained that Japan has consistantly built relationship with Sri Lanka, the strategic hub country in the Indian Ocean, and intends to continue follow-up efforts from the Joint Declaration on a Comprehensive Partnership (PDF)
issued during the visit to Japan in October 2015 by the Hon. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. In response, Minister Samarawickrama expressed gratitude for Japan’s past assistance and interest in further strengthening friendly relations.
2. State Minister Kishi stated that Japan hopes to further expand trade and investments between the two countries and cooperate in development of Sri Lanka’s ports and airports as much as possible, considering the importance of Sri Lanka developing as a regional hub to the prosperity of the Indian Ocean region. In response, Minister Samarawickrama reiterated the new administration’s commitment to expanding investment and trade and expressed expectations for further infrastructure assistance from Japan.
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The Hon. Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is visiting Japan from October 27 to November 1 on a ministerial invitation, and will be exchanging opinions with government and private-sector representatives mainly in economic areas. This is the Minister’s first visit to Japan.