Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto expressed his intention to strengthen relations with Japan during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Subianto, who is currently the defense minister, highlighted the longstanding friendship between the two countries and emphasized the need to further enhance their cooperative relationship.
Japan has been actively seeking closer ties with Southeast Asian nations, particularly in areas such as maritime security and defense, in response to China's growing military presence in the region. Subianto's visit to China following his election victory in February aimed to underscore the importance of maintaining stable relations with Beijing amidst escalating tensions in the South China Sea.
During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Subianto reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to a friendly policy towards China. Indonesia, which counts China as its largest trading partner, has adopted a relatively neutral stance in the face of territorial disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
Prime Minister Kishida welcomed Subianto's early visit to Tokyo, emphasizing the shared values and principles that underpin the strong bilateral ties between Japan and Indonesia. Kishida expressed Japan's desire to bolster cooperation with Indonesia on regional and global issues, positioning the two countries as comprehensive and strategic partners.
Japan aims to support Indonesia's development in key sectors such as infrastructure and energy while deepening collaboration in security and defense matters. The meeting between Kishida and Subianto took place ahead of Kishida's upcoming summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, where discussions on reinforcing security alliances are expected to feature prominently.
Subianto also engaged in talks with Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, during which both sides pledged to enhance defense cooperation. Japan and Indonesia are expanding joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific region and focusing on capacity building and educational initiatives to strengthen maritime security in the region.
Kihara emphasized the commitment to fostering cooperation between the two maritime nations to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law.
