EPA wants to help Indonesia

EPA wants to help Indonesia

TOKYO (Reuters): Economic Planning Agency (EPA) head Koji Omi
said yesterday he wanted Japan to take "appropriate" steps to
help Indonesia, including financial aid.

Omi told a regular news conference he was not in a position
now to say what steps Japan might take but that he thought Tokyo
should help facilitate economic development in Indonesia after
the political situation there stabilizes.

"When (the Indonesian situation) has stabilized a bit I want
to conduct various consultations and provide help including aid,
to enable Indonesia to achieve stable economic development," Omi
said.

He said the Indonesian and Japanese economies were closely
interconnected, noting that Japan is the largest foreign investor
in Indonesia.