Japanese Defence Official Visits Pathfinder Foundation to Boost Indo-Pacific Ties

Rear Admiral (Ret) Hiroyuki Terada, Director of Defence Cooperation of the Indo-Pacific Region (Indo-Pacific Regional Policy Division), Ministry of Defence of Japan, visited the Pathfinder Foundation headquarters at Riverpoint in Peheliyagoda to meet with Founder Milinda Moragoda and other senior members of the Foundation.

He was accompanied by Ms. Ayuka Horikawa, Officer of the Indo-Pacific Regional Policy Division of the Ministry of Defence and Captain Yuki Yokohari, Defence and Security Advisor of the Embassy of Japan, Colombo.

This visit was a continuation of the regular interactions between the Japanese Defence Ministry and the Pathfinder Foundation.

Rear Admiral Terada provided a detailed overview of Japan’s vision and policy towards the Indo-Pacific Region and emphasised Sri Lanka’s importance within this strategy.

The Pathfinder Foundation team provided details of the research and other activities that the organisation was carrying out related to the Indian Ocean Region. These included the biannual Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference and the annual Bay of Bengal Maritime Dialogue.

Collaborations launched by the Pathfinder Foundation, including the India, Japan, and Sri Lanka trilateral project and other possible multi-country cooperation initiatives, were also discussed.

Mr. Moragoda also thanked the delegation for the support and encouragement the Japanese Government had always provided for the work of the Foundation.