"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Prime Minister Ishiba's Remarks at the Joint Press Occasion with President Disanayaka of Sri Lanka

[Place]
[Date] September 29, 2025
[Source] Prime Minister's Office of Japan
[Notes] Provisional translation
[Full text]

[Opening statement]

Hello everyone. Ayubowan. (Hello.) I would like to extend my heartfelt welcome to President Dissanayake on his visit to Japan.

Japan and Sri Lanka have built a deep friendship over many years. In my recent General Debate speech at the United Nations General Assembly, I referred to the spirit of tolerance that Asian nations showed Japan after the war. At the San Francisco Peace Conference, Sri Lanka took the initiative in supporting Japan's return to the international community, an act that remains deeply engraved in the hearts of the Japanese people even today. Since then, our two countries have stood together and extended assistance to each other whenever either of us faced great challenges, such as the civil war in Sri Lanka and major earthquakes in Japan.

Sri Lanka and Japan have both long enjoyed the blessings of the free and open maritime order as island nations surrounded by the sea. As we seek to realize greater prosperity, it is becoming even more important for our two countries to work together to overcome divisions within the international community and to maintain and strengthen a free, fair, and just order.

With this in mind, I held discussions with President Dissanayake today, which resulted in the following outcomes.

The first is our cooperation toward peace and stability in the Indian Ocean. Japan has advanced cooperation with Sri Lanka to date, including port calls by Self-Defense Force vessels and the provision of patrol vessels. On this occasion, Japan has decided to provide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as our first Official Security Assistance (OSA) project for Sri Lanka. We will continue to work together with Sri Lanka toward realizing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. That is the first point.

The second is our cooperation to foster Sri Lanka's stability and development. As Sri Lanka is situated in a strategic location in the Indian Ocean, its stability and development are of great importance not only to Japan, but also to the Indian Ocean–Africa Economic Zone, a key driver of global economic growth.

The development of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, where the conflict's legacy continues to be felt strongly, is vital for national reconciliation. I hope that the grant aid project signed on this occasion, namely the Project for the Enhancement of Productivity in the Dairy Sector, will contribute to the development of these regions. Japan will also steadily implement its existing yen loan projects.

On this occasion, in order to promote Sri Lanka's stable growth and participation in global supply chains, Japan proposed a Conceptual Roadmap on "Building an Export-Oriented Industrial Corridor." We agreed to deepen our discussions based on this proposal. This roadmap is in line with the "Economic Region Initiative of Indian Ocean-Africa," which we announced at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9). Through the roadmap, we aim to promote exports from Sri Lanka to various regions, including India, the Middle East, and Africa and contribute to regional development.

Taking the Japan–Sri Lanka Joint Statement announced today as a guiding principle, we will further deepen and expand our "Comprehensive Partnership" with Sri Lanka. I intend to continue our discussions at the luncheon to follow. Thank you very much. Stūti. (Thank you.)