Tokyo, The Indonesia Post – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed the lifting of restrictions on imports of food products from Japan by Indonesia which was imposed due to the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
The lifting of restrictions on food products from the seven prefectures could encourage residents in the affected areas, Kishida said in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Kishida explained, has lifted all import restrictions on Japanese food products imposed by the 2011 nuclear crisis.
In a joint press conference after the meeting with Jokowi in Tokyo, Kishida said Japan and Indonesia reaffirmed cooperation to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. Japan also pledged to help further strengthen maritime security in the region.
“I hope that bilateral security cooperation, including defense exchanges, will progress further,” said Kishida, adding that the Japanese Self-Defense Army is scheduled to take part in a multinational joint exercise in Indonesia in August for the first time.
Jokowi, on his second trip to three countries, said he asked Japan to ease or remove tariffs imposed on tuna, pineapple and bananas from Indonesia.
President Jokowi also expressed his condolences for the death of former prime minister Shinzo Abe who was shot in early July. Jokowi said that Abe helped upgrade bilateral ties into a strategic partnership.
In addition, since Indonesia will chair the G20 summit in Bali in November, Kishida and Jokowi agreed to work closely together.
Indonesia has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to come to the G20 summit amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In his fourth visit as President to Japan, Jokowi is also scheduled to meet Emperor Naruhito before leaving for South Korea.
The visit precedes the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Indonesia next year, while this year also marks 50 years of friendship between Japan and ASEAN.
In recent years, Japan and Indonesia have been pushing for cooperation in the security sector where the participation of the Japanese Army in the upcoming joint military exercise Garuda Shield is the latest example.
Indonesia and the United States have also invited other countries, including Australia and Singapore, to participate in the annual exercise amid China’s increasing military activity in the Indo-Pacific region. (mhn/bbs)
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