Japan assures assistance to the welbeing of Sri Lanka

Deputy Prime Minister of Japan Katsuya Okada said that the Government of Japan referring to the first hand impression he gained during his visit to Sri Lanka where he had the opportunity of touring Jaffna and Kilinochchi, in May this year said that   the Government of Japan looks forward to close co-operation with Sri Lanka  in the areas of economic development and reconciliation issues.

He made these comments at his bilateral meeting with Prof.G.L.Peiris, Sri Lanka's Minister of External Affairs, at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.

Deputy Prime Minister Okada was briefed by Minister Peiris on the work Sri Lanka is carrying out in implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconcialiation Commission.

Both parties at the discussion identified areas of collaboration which are appropriate at present in carrying forward the process of development and reconciliation, after the end of the conflic.   Okada expressed confidence in having stronger bilateral relationships between Sri Lanka and Japan in the years to come, than that had been in the last sixty years.

Prof.Peiris also had discussions in Tokyo with Hirofumi Hirano, Japan's Minister of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology and President of the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League.