Sri Lanka, Feb. 18 -- Since 2023, Japan has extended its investment in South Asian infrastructure and connectivity projects to strengthen its soft power diplomacy in the region. As part of this extension, Sri Lanka hosted the Japanese Foreign Minister in July 2023 and invited Tokyo to resume its investment in Sri Lanka's infrastructure projects and its green and digital economies, after some of them were halted due to Chinese investments in similar projects.

The meeting also had a specific focus on funding power projects, roads, and ports. This comes after the cancellation of the previous MOU on port development with Japanese assistance.

Sri Lanka has experienced its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades. The previous Gotaba...