Japan wants H’tota to be free of military activities

22 August 2018 02:18 pm

Japan wants Hambantota port to be "free of military activities", the visiting Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onedera has said amid concerns in the region over the leasing of the facility to China, the PTI reported on Wednesday.

Onedera, who arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday, is the first Japanese defence minister ever to visit Sri Lanka.

His visit comes amid the regional concerns over growing Chinese influence in Sri Lanka, the PTI said.

Speaking to the Japanese NHK television after his meetings with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Onedera said he had raised the Chinese issue with Sri Lanka.

"Despite the lease, there was an agreement that port remains free of military activities," Onedera was quoted as saying by NHK. He is also scheduled to visit Hambantota.

Sri Lanka and China entered into a 99-year lease of the Hambantota port which will enable the Chinese to set up an industrial park around the seaport.

Minister Onedera will also visit Trincomalee Port. Coinciding with his visit is the arrival of the Japanese Naval ship "Ikazuchi" in Trincomalee.