Indonesia and Japan Sign MoU on Forestry and Conservation

Indonesia and Japan are further strengthening their bilateral relations, not only in the economic, energy, and investment sectors but also through cooperation in forestry and conservation. This cooperation was forged during a meeting between Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, and Japan’s Minister of Growth Strategy, Minoru Kiuchi, on the sidelines of President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Japan. In the meeting, Minister Kiuchi emphasised that Indonesia is a strategic partner for the Japanese government, particularly in the forestry sector. He stressed that Indonesia’s role is not only important for Japan but also holds a strategic position for the Asia-Pacific region. Minister Kiuchi also expressed appreciation for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and Shizuoka Prefecture regarding the protection and conservation of wildlife, particularly Komodo dragons. According to him, Komodo dragons have high popularity in Japan, comparable to pandas, and are believed to be a major attraction for Japanese society. The Japanese government even plans to hold a special welcoming ceremony when the Komodo dragons arrive in Japan. Additionally, Minister Kiuchi stated his commitment to supporting the acceleration of animal exchanges from iZoo Japan to Surabaya Zoo. Meanwhile, Forestry Minister Raja Juli stated that this bilateral meeting is part of the series of state visits by the President to Japan, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Raja Juli also appreciated the long-standing cooperation between Indonesia and Japan, particularly through various projects supported by JICA. Raja Juli emphasised the importance of increasing collaboration in the future, including through the acceleration of implementing the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) in Indonesia’s forestry sector as part of climate change mitigation efforts. Furthermore, Raja Juli conveyed the Indonesian government’s commitment to accelerating the process of sending Komodo dragons to Japan, which will be carried out after the signing of cooperation between iZoo and Surabaya Zoo, planned for the end of April 2026. On that occasion, the Forestry Minister also proposed strengthening conservation cooperation through a Sister Park scheme between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and a national park in Indonesia.