There was no immediate comment from Japan.
Tension has been growing in Sri Lanka in recent weeks over the port deal among trade unions and opposition political parties who have demanded the government halt the plan to develop the terminal with India and Japan.
But India has remained steadfast about the project during high level discussions including last month during a visit by India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar.
A week after his visit, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said the east terminal would be developed as an investment project of which Sri Lanka would own 51%. The remaining 49% would go to India’s Adani Group and other stakeholders, he said.
India — which considers the Indian ocean region to be its strategic backyard — has for years been worried by its rival China’s economic and political influence over neighboring Sri Lanka.
China considers Sri Lanka to be a critical link in its massive “Belt and Road” global infrastructure building initiative and has provided billions of dollars in loans for Sri Lankan projects over the past decade. The projects include a seaport, airport, port-city, highways and power stations.
Critics say that the Chinese-funded projects are not financially viable and that Sri Lanka will face difficulties in repaying the loans.
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