Japanese Defense Minister calls on President Maithripala Sirisena

by Staff Writer 21-08-2018 | 9:45 PM

UPDATE: 8.52 PM- The Japanese Defense Minister is scheduled to engage in an inspection tour of the Hambantota port which was given to the Chinese government under a 99-year lease. The spokesperson to the President's Media Division said the Defence Minister will also visit the Trincomalee port. The Japanese delegation is scheduled to leave the island tomorrow evening. Colombo (News1st) - Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera who is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka met with President Maithripala Sirisena this afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. This is the first time that a Japanese Defence Minister is visiting the country. During the meeting, attention had been focused on strengthening maritime security cooperation between the two countries. The meeting also focused on reviewing the progress of the implementation of agreements entered during President Sirisena’s recent visit to Japan. Discussions also focused on ways to develop defence cooperation between the two countries while expanding the relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka.

Earlier today (Aug 21st), Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera met with State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijeyawardene at the Ministry of Defence. Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka Kenichi Suganuma, the additional secretaries of Parliamentary Affairs and Policy & Planning, the Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Army and Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Navy, Director General of the Coast Guard and Ministry officials were also present at the occasion.

Onodera who is on a two day official trip to Sri Lanka arrived onboard a SriLankan Airlines flight from New Delhi. The Defence Minister and his 19 member delegation touched down at the BIA at around 10.30pm on Monday (Aug 20th). The Japanese Defence Minister is expected to travel to the Hambanthota and Trincomalee ports tomorrow.