IO, Jakarta – On Friday, 10 January 2020, starting at 10:20 Jakarta time and lasting for approximately 60 minutes, Japanese Foreign Minister HE Mr. Motegi Toshimitsu conducted a Japan-Indonesia Ministerial-Level Strategic Dialogue, consisting of a Small Group Meeting and Plenary Meeting with HE Ms. Retno L. P. Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, with the contents of the meeting as follows.
Small Group Plenary Meeting
1. At the beginning of the meeting, Foreign Minister Motegi expressed his concern and sympathy for the recent devastating floods. Foreign Minister Motegi also said that this visit was the first visit after being appointed as Foreign Minister of Japan, and he was pleased to be able to hold a Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Retno and looks forward to the opportunity to exchange opinions on broad issues with Indonesia, as a leader in the region.
Responding to this, Foreign Minister Retno welcomed the visit of Foreign Minister Motegi to Jakarta, and was happy to meet again after the meeting in Nagoya last November 2019. Foreign Minister Retno also said that the meeting held at the beginning of the new year would map the image of future bilateral cooperation as a whole and expressed her hope that collaboration between the two countries, both regionally and globally, would be even tighter.
2. The two Foreign Ministers ensured strengthened cooperation in the field of infrastructure improvement and Human Resource development, as confirmed at the Head of State Summit and Foreign Ministerial level meeting in November last year, and agreed to form a framework for broadly reviewing bilateral cooperation projects, including the fields mentioned above.
3. In connection with infrastructure improvement, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to continue the construction of the MRT network in Jakarta and the construction of the Patimban port. In addition, Foreign Minister Motegi said that Japan would continue to work together using the newly-formed intergovernmental and private framework to consider efforts to develop human resources and increase exports.
4. Foreign Minister Retno asked for cooperation in the development of the outer islands, including the Natuna Islands. In response, Foreign Minister Motegi said that Japan, as a fellow maritime democracy with Indonesia, wanted to advance cooperation in the maritime sector and start technical assistance with BAKAMLA in January this year, as well as efforts to improve ports and fish markets in the outer islands, including Biak Island, will begin in February this year.
5. Related to the security sector, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to accelerate coordination so that they could hold a meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense, to be known as a “2 + 2” between the second Japan and Indonesia.
6. Foreign Minister Motegi said that Japan would decide to provide loans in yen to help rehabilitate infrastructure in Central Sulawesi Province.
7. In addition, Foreign Minister Motegi welcomed Indonesia’s recent decision to easing restrictions on imports of Japanese food products implemented after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident and requested support to lift the restrictions in the near future.
8. Foreign Minister Motegi requested support to carry out the repatriation project of Japanese ex-army framework, as agreed at the Summit of Heads of State.
9. Regarding the regional situation, Foreign Minister Motegi expressed his support for the “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)” initiated by Indonesia.
10. Regarding North Korea, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to continue the close cooperation ties for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through the full implementation of related UN Security Council resolutions. Moreover, Foreign Minister Motegi expects understanding and cooperation from Indonesia to resolve the issue of kidnapping Japanese citizens as quickly as possible.
11. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to continue collaboration between Japan and Indonesia regarding RCEP negotiations. (OHW)