"We have talked to the Japanese government about direct Japanese government assistance to resuscitate economic activities," Gamini Lakshman Peiris told a news conference.

The minister said his country hopes Japan -- Sri Lanka's largest aid donor and the holder of two-thirds of its foreign debt -- will help revive agriculture, tourism, fisheries and small enterprises in particular.

Peiris earlier held talks with his Japanese counterpart Toshihiro Nikai and Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone.

At the news conference, the former chief negotiator in the country's peace process reiterated that Colombo has no plan to probe allegations that thousands of civilians died.

Asked if the Sri Lankan government is eventually willing to accept an international probe, Peiris said: "No, we don't regard that attitude as acceptable. That is some kind of inquisition."

The minister said: "The world should not try to... emphasise everything that is negative, make things as difficult as possible for Sri Lanka, threaten economic sanctions."

Unnecessary pressure on the Sri Lankan government may even lead to a revival of terrorism in the country, he warned.

London-based human rights group Amnesty International has called for an independent probe into the number of civilians killed while government forces crushed Tamil Tiger rebels two weeks ago.