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.