1 The Prime Minister of Japan, ISHIBA Shigeru met with the President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Disanayaka, in Tokyo during his Official Visit to Japan from September 27 to 30, 2025.
2 Recalling the long-standing friendly relations between Japan and Sri Lanka, both sides reaffirmed their intention to further deepen and expand cooperation, including inter alia in the areas of security, economy, investment, and development cooperation, under the framework of the deepened and expanded Comprehensive Partnership established between the two countries.
3 Prime Minister ISHIBA commended the trajectory of recovery of the Sri Lankan economy through the steady implementation of the IMF program and debt restructuring, and reiterated Japan’s continued support for Sri Lanka’s reform efforts. President Disanayaka expressed appreciation for Japan’s leadership as one of the Co-Chairs of the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), enabling early signing of Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring, including Japan being the first OCC member to conclude a bilateral agreement on debt restructuring between a member country of the OCC and Sri Lanka in March this year. Both sides recognized that the steady implementation of various reforms under the IMF program and the early completion of the debt restructuring process will further restore investors’ confidence in the Sri Lankan economy. Both sides affirmed the importance of the provision of foreign loans that takes into account debt sustainability and transparency.
4 President Disanayaka expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued support, including the resumption of 11 previously signed yen loan projects, in 2024, ahead of other creditor countries. Both sides welcomed the recommencement of the bidding of the Bandaranaike International Airport Development Project (Phase 2), which will contribute to strengthen connectivity and promote tourism in Sri Lanka, and confirmed commitment to expediting the related process for early completion. Both sides also confirmed the importance of steadily implementing already existing yen loan projects, including the development and improvement of transmission lines and the digitalization of terrestrial television broadcasting.
5 Both sides welcomed signing and exchanging of Notes concerning Japan’s Grant Aid for the Project for the Enhancement of Productivity in the Dairy Sector with a view to promoting inclusive economic development of Sri Lanka through the improvement of livelihoods of small-scale dairy farmers. For the sustainable economic development of Sri Lanka, both sides confirmed the importance of developing infrastructure and transport solutions to streamline urban traffic in major cities such as Colombo.
6 Both sides concurred to further discuss the ways to strengthen and enhance export with Japanese investment based on the Conceptual Roadmap on “Building an Export-Oriented Industrial Corridor”. In this connection, both sides concurred to resume the Inter-governmental Economic Policy Dialogue, which jointly explores the possibilities of enhancing Sri Lankan industry and economy. Both sides noted the significant opportunity that lies in the area of trade and investment and confirmed the importance of further improving the business environment in Sri Lanka, including transparency, predictability, and non-discriminatory treatment. In this regard, both sides welcomed the launch of Japan-Sri Lanka Committee on Business Environment in August this year, which is to be held on a quarterly basis.
7 President Disanayaka shared the qualitative change in the investment and business environment emerging in Sri Lanka following the election of the current Government. He invited Japanese corporates to explore the opportunities available and invest in the several high-potential sectors in Sri Lanka.
8 Both sides confirmed the importance of deepening defense and security cooperation between the two countries and enhancing the security and deterrence capabilities of Sri Lanka to ensure the peace and stability of the Indian Ocean Region. From this perspective, both sides welcomed the provision of advanced Japanese UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) for enhancing maritime surveillance and disaster relief capabilities, through the first Official Security Assistance (OSA) project vis-à-vis Sri Lanka, decided during the visit.
9 Both sides also welcomed the steady progress in defense cooperation between the two countries through port calls by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels and joint exercises between the JMSDF and the Sri Lankan Navy. Both sides confirmed that the visit of the Minister of Defense of Japan NAKATANI Gen to Sri Lanka in May this year, where a decision was taken on the convening of the second Japan-Sri Lanka Defense Dialogue, underscored the commitment to further promoting cooperation in this area between the two countries.
10 Prime Minister ISHIBA expressed Japan’s intention to continue its support for Sri Lanka’s efforts toward eradicating corruption. Both sides affirmed the importance of addressing socio-economic challenges of conflict-affected communities, especially in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. Bearing in mind that national reconciliation and socio-economic development are closely interconnected, Prime Minister ISHIBA reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to continuing its support for the development of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
11 President Disanayaka expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued assistance to Sri Lanka’s mine action program as a major donor in demining activities in Sri Lanka. Japan’s assistance to the demining program was recognized as contributing significantly to the overall goal of a “Mine-Impact-Free Sri Lanka” and impacting positively towards national reconciliation, and supporting community empowerment, and post-conflict development in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
12 Both sides discussed ways to promote people-to-people exchanges, including skilled human resources and concurred on further strengthening ties between the two countries in areas such as language education, culture and sports. Considering the deepening of mutual cultural understanding, both sides concurred on the importance of further promoting Japanese language education in Sri Lanka and reaffirmed both governments’ intention to advance efforts in this regard.
13 Both sides had an exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. Reiterating the importance of greater engagement by Japan in the region through Japan’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, both sides reaffirmed the need for continued cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including on the rules based international order. Both sides also reiterated support for multilateralism and democracy.
14 As maritime nations, both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight, and underscored the significance of respect and adherence to international law, as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for maintaining a stable and peaceful international maritime order.
15 Both sides reiterated their continued cooperation towards an early reform of the United Nations Security Council through positive engagement in the intergovernmental negotiations. Prime Minister ISHIBA expressed his gratitude for Sri Lanka’s continued support for Japan’s bid for a permanent seat in the Security Council.
16 Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and strengthening the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture, and are jointly determined to continue to work together in this area. In this context, Prime Minister ISHIBA referred in particular to Sri Lanka’s ratification of the CTBT in 2023 and the importance of the IAEA Additional Protocol.
17 Prime Minister ISHIBA welcomed Sri Lanka’s active participation in EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and the visit of President Disanayaka to grace the inauguration of the National Day of Sri Lanka. Both sides also acknowledged the emphasis on augmenting economic cooperation including two high-level business events being held in Osaka and Tokyo as an integral part of the visit.
18 President Disanayaka expressed sincere appreciation to Prime Minister ISHIBA and the people of Japan for the warm welcome and hospitality extended during the visit.