In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is visiting two Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia and Vietnam.
By
MH SAMSUL HADI
·4 minutes read
JIJI PRESS/AFP
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (R) speaks to the media upon his departure for a four-day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia at Tokyo\'s Haneda airport on October 18, 2020.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is visiting two Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia and Vietnam, on his first foreign trip since his appointment as the prime minister in September, this year. He is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday (20/10/2020), after visiting Vietnam on Monday.
Suga will be in Indonesia until Wednesday. He is scheduled to meet with President Joko Widodo.
"Japan and Indonesia have forged a close friendship over more than 60 years. Every administration in Japan has always prioritized relations with Indonesia as a major country in the region and the leader of ASEAN,” Suga told Kompas in an exclusive interview.
"This policy remains strong and is the reason why I chose Indonesia as one of the countries in my first foreign visit as prime minister."
A number of issues will be discussed by the two leaders. This issues include bilateral cooperation in the areas of infrastructure and human resource development, handling of the pandemic and international cooperation for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Suga revealed that given the importance of Indonesia\'s position and the increasing complexity of security in the Indo-Pacific, he wanted to exchange opinions honestly with President Jokowi regarding more concrete cooperation during the visit.
"Why is Japan prioritizing Indonesia? I have many reasons,”said Suga. "The two countries are closely related in various fields, such as politics, economy and culture. We share universal values, such as the rule of law and democracy. The people of the two countries have a familiar feeling, and Japan and Indonesia are partners in dealing with regional and global challenges under common strategic interests.”
Why is Japan prioritizing Indonesia? I have many reasons
SHINJI KITA/KYODO NEWS VIA AP, FILE
FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2020, file photo, Yoshihide Suga arrives at the prime minister\'s office after being formally elected Japan\'s prime minister in a parliamentary vote in Tokyo. Japan\'s new Prime Minister Suga heads to Vietnam and Indonesia on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, on his first overseas foray since taking over from his former boss Shinzo Abe last month.
Main investment partner
Suga, who was the chief cabinet secretary under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration, called Indonesia a "major investment and trade partner" for Japan. "Indonesia has the fourth-largest population in the world. On average, the age range is quite young, which is 30 years, so Indonesia has enormous economic potential," he said.
"I want to strengthen economic relations between Japan and Indonesia through cooperation in increasing supply chain resilience."
In the field of government, Suga saw a similarity between his administration and that of President Jokowi. He said President Jokowi named his government in his first term the “Working Cabinet", while he formed the "Working for the People Cabinet".
I want to strengthen economic relations between Japan and Indonesia through cooperation in increasing supply chain resilience
"As a fellow leader who is committed to working for the people, I want to build a strong, trusting relationship with President Jokowi and work together to strengthen the strategic partnership," said Suga.
"As a first step, I would like, together with President Jokowi, to discuss the direction of the development of the bilateral relations going forward and the vision of the international community that we must achieve in the future," said Suga.
Infrastructure and HR
Asked about the cooperation he wanted to have with Indonesia, he explained, the two countries had agreed to encourage cooperation in the field of infrastructure development and human resources, two priority areas of President Jokowi\'s administration. He mentioned the MRT, which has operated in Jakarta since March 2019, as an example of cooperation in the infrastructure sector.
"Construction projects to extend the MRT line are under way," said Suga.
AP PHOTO/EUGENE HOSHIKO, POOL, FILE
FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2020, file photo, Japan\'s then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, receives flowers from then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga after Suga was elected as new head of Japan\'s ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party\'s (LDP) leadership election in Tokyo. Japan\'s new Prime Minister Suga heads to Vietnam and Indonesia on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, on his first overseas foray since taking over from his former boss Abe last month.
He also mentioned the cooperation in the development and operation of the Patimban Port (Subang, West Java), increasing the speed of the railways across the northern route of Java, and development in the outer islands to increase connectivity and stimulate the economy in Indonesia.
In the field of human resource development, according to Suga, Japan has provided the opportunity for more than 2,000 Indonesians in the last three years to go to that country and study technology and gain experience and knowledge that Japan has.
"Japanese companies in Indonesia have contributed for years both in creating jobs for Indonesian workers and in developing human resources," said Suga.
In handling the pandemic, Suga said Japan had provided an emergency loan of 50 billion yen (nearly Rp 7 trillion) as financial assistance to the Indonesian government.
"We also provided medical supplies and equipment worth more than 4.4 billion yen," he said.
The scope of the Japan-Indonesia cooperation, continued Suga, was not limited to the context of bilateral relations. By covering approximately 40 percent of the population and GDP in ASEAN, according to him, it is very natural that Indonesia is considered an absolute partner for Japan in realizing peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
