Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone (left) with Sri Lankan Trade Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris

TOKYO (AFP) — Sri Lanka's trade minister on Wednesday sought Japan's help for its recovery from ethnic conflict, while reiterating his government's rejection of any probe into alleged human rights violations.

Colombo has faced allegations that thousands of civilians perished in the final battle last month against Tamil Tiger separatists, as the island starts its recovery from three decades of fighting.

"We have talked to the Japanese government about direct Japanese government assistance to resuscitate economic activities," Minister G. L. Peiris told a news conference.

The minister said his country hopes Japan -- Sri Lanka's largest aid donor and the holder of two-thirds of its foreign debt -- will help revive agriculture, tourism, fisheries and small enterprises in particular.

Peiris earlier held talks with his Japanese counterpart Toshihiro Nikai and Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone.

At the news conference, the former chief negotiator in the country's peace process reiterated that Colombo has no plan to probe allegations that thousands of civilians died.

Asked if the Sri Lankan government is eventually willing to accept an international probe, Peiris said: "No, we don't regard that attitude as acceptable. That is some kind of inquisition."

The minister said: "The world should not try to... emphasise everything that is negative, make things as difficult as possible for Sri Lanka, threaten economic sanctions."

Unnecessary pressure on the Sri Lankan government may even lead to a revival of terrorism in the country, he warned.

"What the country needs this time is support, understanding, empathy, not condemnation, not judgement... not posturing," he said.

London-based human rights group Amnesty International has called for an independent probe into the number of civilians killed while government forces crushed Tamil Tiger rebels two weeks ago.

A report in the Times of London newspaper has cited confidential UN reports as saying that more than 20,000 non-combatants were killed by Sri Lankan army shelling in May.