Japan considering providing patrol ships to Sri Lanka

The Japanese government is considering providing patrol ships to Sri Lanka to help the South Asian country strengthen its maritime surveillance capabilities, a Japanese government source said Sunday.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to convey the plan to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he visits the country in early September, the source was quoted as saying by Kyodo News International. 

Tokyo expects the move to help improve sea lane security in the Indian Ocean where tankers transporting oil from the Middle East to Japan travel, according to the source.

It also comes at a time when China is giving support to Sri Lanka and other countries in South Asia in an apparent bid to expand its reach into the Indian Ocean.

Tokyo will decide how many ships to provide after Abe’s visit, the source said. Officials from the two countries will hold talks to decide whether Japan will build new ships for Sri Lanka or provide Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels already in use.

The Japanese government is considering giving loans to Sri Lanka for the ship purchase, the source said.