Japan-Indonesia Relations

January 11, 2025
Japanese
Prime Minister Ishiba being welcomed by Indonesian people waving Japanese flags (Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
Both leaders during the summit meeting (Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
Prime Minister Ishiba shaking hands with President Prabowo (Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)

On January 11, commencing at 10:10 a.m. local time (0:10 p.m. Japan time) for approximately 110 minutes, Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru, who is visiting Indonesia, held a Japan-Indonesia summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia at the presidential palace. The overview of the meeting is as follows (small group meeting: for approximately 50 minutes from 10:10 a.m., plenary meeting: for approximately 60 minutes from 11:00 a.m.). The meeting was preceded by a welcome ceremony and followed by a joint press occasion and a luncheon hosted by President Prabowo. The luncheon featured performances of Japanese and Indonesian songs in a friendly atmosphere, and Mr. Sudaryono, Vice Minister of Agriculture, a graduate of the National Defense Academy of Japan, also sang the school's anthem.

  1. At the outset, President Prabowo welcomed Prime Minister ISHIBA's visit to Indonesia. Prime Minister Ishiba stated that he was pleased to visit Indonesia and expressed his gratitude for the President’s very warm welcome. Prime Minister Ishiba also stated that Japan attaches importance to cooperation with Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, to ensure that the world moves towards peace. President Prabowo responded that he would work to further strengthen the comprehensive and strategic partnership between the two countries by materializing cooperation in various fields.
  2. With regard to bilateral relations, the two leaders welcomed the concurrence to deepen cooperation in the following five main areas.
      　
    1. In security area, the two leaders concurred to hold a Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting (2+2) this year and welcomed the launch of a defense consultation between defense officials of both countries on maritime security, including defense equipment and technology cooperation. The two leaders also welcomed the signing of the exchange of notes regarding the provision of high-speed patrol boats to the Indonesian Navy under the OSA (Official Security Assistance) programme. Furthermore, the two leaders affirmed the importance of forming people-to-people network through the acceptance of Indonesian students at the National Defense Academy of Japan and the exchange program of field officers, based on the recognition that the essence of defense cooperation is people-to-people ties.
    2. In economic area, Prime Minister Ishiba expressed his desire to support Indonesia's economic development. The two leaders confirmed the promotion of cooperation in the resource and infrastructure development to ensure energy security and decarbonization through various pathways and welcomed the agreement on coordinated financing by JBIC and other entities for the Muara Laboh geothermal power project under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) platform.
    3. In disaster management area, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that, bearing in mind that both Japan and Indonesia are disaster-prone countries, Japan would continue to provide assistances for realizing national resilience of Indonesia by utilizing Japan's expertise. In response, President Prabowo expressed his gratitude.
    4. Regarding efforts to spread school meals program in Indonesia that President Prabowo is promoting as part of his poverty alleviation and nutritional improvement measures, Prime Minister Ishiba expressed his desire to contribute to such efforts by utilizing Japan's own experiences in developing school meals program, through such measures as dispatching experts and providing training program for Indonesian government officials. President Prabowo expressed his gratitude in response. The two leaders also discussed food issues and concurred to promote cooperation in the promotion of fisheries and agriculture.
    5. In addition, the two leaders stressed the importance of human resource development and concurred to strengthen two-way people-to-people exchanges.
  3. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international affairs and confirmed that they would continue to work together on these issues.
    On that basis, the two leaders affirmed the importance of maintaining and enhancing a free and open international order based on the rule of law to lead the world towards cooperation through realizing Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), and confirmed that they continue to work together.
    In addition, regarding Indonesia's accession process to the OECD, Prime Minister Ishiba expressed that Japan attaches importance to Indonesia's accession to the OECD as Indonesia shares fundamental values and principles with Japan, and expressed Japan’s intention to actively support the progress of the process.
  4. Last but not least, Prime Minister Ishiba conveyed his intention to invite President Prabowo to Japan this year, and President Prabowo expressed his gratitude for the invitation, and said that he looked forward to visiting Japan.

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