Koizumi to visit RI<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has announced plans
\nto visit Indonesia as part of his tour of major Southeast Asian
\nnations next month.<\/p>\n
With Japan's economy in the doldrums and Tokyo scaling back
\nforeign aid in response, Koizumi is expected to deliver bad news
\nabout the limits to which his country can assist debt-riddled
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Officials at the Japanese embassy said that, upon arrival in
\nJakarta on Jan. 12, the prime minister will meet with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri before attending a dinner in his honor
\nlater that evening. In between, he will make a courtesy call on
\nVice President Hamzah Haz.<\/p>\n
Prior to his departure on Jan. 3, he will lay a wreath at the
\nHeroes' Cemetery and meet with Chairman of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly Amien Rais and Speaker of the House of
\nRepresentatives Akbar Tandjung.<\/p>\n
The talks with Indonesian officials are expected to focus on
\nenhancing economic cooperation. Japan ranks as Indonesia's
\nprincipal trading partner, its biggest aid donor and a major
\nsource of direct foreign investment.<\/p>\n
Koizumi's whirlwind Southeast Asian tour will take place
\nbetween Jan. 9 and Jan. 15; it will also cover the Philippines,
\nMalaysia, Thailand and Singapore.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, Koizumi is scheduled to deliver a speech
\ncentered on relations between his country and Southeast Asia as a
\nwhole, according to AFP.<\/p>\n
Koizumi will be the 20th leader to make the prestigious
\nSingapore Lecture on Jan. 14. He will speak on "Japan and ASEAN
\nin East Asia: For the candid partnership," the Institute of
\nSoutheast Asian Studies said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Previous speakers have included former U.S. president George
\nBush, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, South Korean President Kim Dae-
\nJung and former South African president Nelson Mandela.<\/p>\n
Koizumi's tour was originally slated for September, but the
\ntrip was postponed after the terrorist attacks in the United
\nStates.<\/p>",
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