Ball in Sri Lanka’s court’ as Japan seeks to deepen ties in bid to counter China’s Indo-Pacific influence

• Sri Lanka’s 2020 decision to drop a light rail project financed by Japanese companies led to friction between the countries, amid Colombo’s pivot to China
• Japan has become more ‘astute’ in its approach to Sri Lanka, given its interest in a rules-based Indo-Pacific region and countering Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3254971/ball-sri-lankas-court-japan-seeks-deepen-ties-bid-counter-chinas-indo-pacific-influence