Secretary of Defence Visits Monorail Projects in Japan

Wednesday, 25 June 2014 01:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Japan’s Minister of Defence praises speedy post-conflict recovery

Secretary of Defence & Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited Japan on an invitation extended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with the Secretary of Transport, Dhammika Perera recently. The key objectives of the four day visit were to assess the feasibility and viability of the state of the art monorail projects in Japan, and to discuss issues of relevance with senior most officials of the JICA, political leaders and senior technocrats of the Government of Japan. Secretary Rajapaksa, along with Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan and delegation visited the latest monorail projects in Okinawa and the oldest in Tokyo. A comprehensive feasibility study has already been completed by the JICA with regard to a monorail project in Colombo in order to alleviate the traffic congestion in Colombo and its suburbs.

Secretary Rajapaksa and delegation met with the Minister of Defence of Japan, Itsunori Onodera, who expressed satisfaction of the speedy post-conflict recovery process and economic and commercial expansion of the country within a period of five years. The Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Norio Mitsuya, placed on record the contentment of the Government of Japan of the manner in which Sri Lanka addresses the highly complex reconciliation process and also added that Japan was pleased since Sri Lanka adopted the Japanese system of digitalisation. Ambassador Yasushi Akashi stated that he was happy to note that Sri Lanka has fulfilled most of the processes in the context of reconciliation, rehabilitation, resettlement and peace building. During the meetings, Rajapaksa briefed the political dignitaries and senior technocrats of the economic advancement of the country in the post-conflict era, the necessity to upgrade the transportation, the development and reconciliation process in the north and in the east, maritime security, the need to elevate the Coast Guard of Sri Lanka, and the enhancement of cooperation in all spheres, among others. Secretary Rajapaksa also thanked the political dignitaries and key officials of the Government of Japan for extending cooperation and assistance, for six decades, for the upliftment and advancement of the country and for the support and solidarity extended to Sri Lanka in international forums such as at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. During the meetings and calls, was associated with Ambassador Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Deputy Chief of Mission Saj Mendis and Second Secretary of the Mission G.N. Hasintha.