Sri Lanka Emerges As Japan's 'Strategic' Friend

The tug of war between China and Japan over their roles in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has prompted Tokyo to strengthen ties with Sri Lanka. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced that Tokyo is ready to help the island nation become a regional hub of the Indian Ocean once again.

After concluding his April 10-16 visit to Japan, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe confirmed that the Asian powerhouse agreed to provide all sorts of help to the tiny South Asian country so that it could emerge as a major maritime power in the IOR. The premier praised his Japanese counterpart Abe for offering an olive branch to Colombo, saying that Sri Lanka would soon boost commercial activities by developing all its ports with the help of Japanese technology.

Speaking at a press conference on April 17, the PM said: "Sri Lanka hopes to become the regional hub of the...