Japan pledges continued support for RI<\/p>\n
TOKYO (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid ended his two-day
\nworking visit to Japan on Tuesday receiving a strong pledge of
\neconomic support from Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and promises of
\ncontinued flows of investment from Japanese companies.<\/p>\n
Obuchi told Abdurrahman during a 90-minute bilateral meeting
\nat his office in Tokyo that he would send a five-man team, led by
\nformer deputy foreign minister Noburo Matsunaga to Jakarta in the
\nnear future to asses Indonesia's economic needs.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists on board the Garuda 747-400 taking him
\nhome to Jakarta, the President said Obuchi assured him that Japan
\nwould intensively help in ending the prolonged economic turmoil.<\/p>\n
\"The prime minister disclosed the plan to establish the
\nadvisory team which will comprise five Japanese government
\nofficials and five Indonesia officials,\" Abdurrahman said.<\/p>\n
The President declined to reply whether Japan promised
\nconcrete economic assistance saying technical matters should be
\nhandled at ministerial level and not at the level of head of
\ngovernments.<\/p>\n
\"A head of state does not handle technical matters,\" he said
\nwith a broad smile.<\/p>\n
According to Abdurrahman, who is better known as Gus Dur, the
\nJapanese commitment was the third promise he received after
\nsimilar promises from United States President Bill Clinton during
\ntheir meeting at the White House on Friday and Singapore Prime
\nMinister Goh Chok Tong on Nov. 6.<\/p>\n
Before meeting with the Japanese prime minister, Abdurrahman
\nin Tokyo met Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa at the Imperial
\nHotel where he stayed during his unofficial two-day visit after
\nhis arrival from the U.S. on Monday.<\/p>\n
Miyazawa, also a former prime minister, convinced Abdurrahman
\nthat Japan would remain committed to help Indonesia although he
\nreminded him that Tokyo would likely make major adjustments in
\nits financial loan policy to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Miyazawa said his government would not change its prior stance
\nof not accepting requests for debt reduction or rescheduling from
\nany country, including Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Miyazawa, his government however would agree to
\npour fresh loans to Indonesia through the World-Bank led
\nConsultative Group on Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He also pointed out the urgency for Indonesia to resolve the
\ncorporate debts and its fragile banking system because the
\nsolution of the delicate problems would end major obstacles for
\nJapanese companies to invest back to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The settlement of corporate debt will be very meaningful,\"
\nsaid Miyazawa.<\/p>\n
Japan is not only the largest investor and donor to Indonesia,
\nbut also about 40 percent of Indonesian gross domestic products
\ncome from its exports to Japan.<\/p>\n
Breakfast<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman earlier attended a breakfast-meeting with top
\nexecutives of Japanese companies. During the meeting the
\npresident heard a list of promises from several companies
\nincluding from Mitsubishi chairman Minoru Makihara, Itochu's
\nUichiro Niwa, Tomen's Akihiro Tsuji, and Marubeni's Tohru Tsuji.<\/p>\n
Makihara told Abdurrahman that Japanese investors praised his
\nstrong commitment for a clean, and transparent government. \"But
\nas far as for business is concerned, we also like stability and
\npredictability because it makes us easier to extend business in
\nIndonesia,\" said Makihara.<\/p>\n
Major Japanese newspapers like The Asahi Shimbun carried a
\nfront-page story of Abdurrahman's visit. His press conference at
\nthe National Press Club soon after his talks with Obuchi was
\npacked.<\/p>\n
The journalists seemed taken by Abdurrahman's humor, laughing
\nat his jokes.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman not only talked about national issues, but also
\nabout one of his favorite Japanese heroes, the warrior Tokugawa.<\/p>\n
\"We are the same, we came from a feudal family but we
\nmodernized our countries,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He also used the press briefing to appeal to Indonesians of
\nChinese descent who fled abroad following the May riots in 1997.
\nHe said he would guarantee their safety and business opportunity
\nif they returned to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Despite a suggestion from the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo that
\nJapan insisted his visit be an official one, the President openly
\nsaid that it was China which would get his honor to be the first
\ncountry which would be made the first state visit early in
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
\"My visit to U.S. and Japan are unofficial visits,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked is the most delightful experience during his visit
\nto Japan, the President replied: \"I like the food at the prime
\nminister's residence it is very delicious.\"<\/p>\n
He also said the Japanese government and people were so polite
\nthat they would not raise sensitive issues like Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"I also like Japan because they understand other people's
\nmusic,\" he said. (prb)<\/p>",
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