Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo Ready to Support Indonesia-Japan Energy Cooperation
Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo Ready to Support Indonesia-Japan Energy Cooperation
19 Mar 2026 07:24 WIB
Voice of Indonesia
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Energy cooperation between Indonesia and Japan has entered the implementation phase, with the Indonesian government aiming to deliver concrete results from the strategic agreement, particularly in critical minerals and future energy sources.
The Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo is serving as the primary liaison between the government and industry players to accelerate investment realization and strengthen bilateral partnerships.
Indonesian Ambassador to Japan and the Federated States of Micronesia, Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir, emphasized the embassy’s readiness to oversee the implementation of the agreement.
“The Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo is ready to ensure that every provision of this agreement is implemented in a tangible form that adds value to the national economy and strengthens bilateral relations,” Nurmala said in a statement on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, as quoted by Antara.
She noted that the cooperation reflects a comprehensive strategic partnership, not merely investment figures, and is also aimed at addressing challenges in the global energy transition.
The agreement followed a meeting between Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Ryosei Akazawa on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum on March 15.
Both ministers signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) covering critical minerals and nuclear energy. The collaboration aims to strengthen global supply chains and support clean energy development.
Minister Bahlil welcomed the agreement, particularly in the critical minerals sector. “We are highly open and would be pleased to invite the Japanese government and Japanese business partners to jointly manage our critical minerals in Indonesia,” he said.
Akazawa stressed the importance of strengthening cross-border cooperation to maintain energy security and sustainable energy supply amid global dynamics.
In a separate meeting, Minister Bahlil also met with Inpex Corporation CEO Takayuki Ueda to discuss accelerating the Masela Block project, which carries an investment value of around USD 20 billion. The project is expected to drive economic growth in Eastern Indonesia and serve as a major gas supply source for the national industry.
Minister Bahlil said the project has reached about 25 percent completion and urged advancing the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase to the second quarter of 2026, or at the latest to the third quarter, so that the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) tender process can proceed in parallel.
Ambassador Nurmala added that the Masela Block development agreement marks a milestone for national energy security, and the embassy will continue to facilitate its progress to ensure FEED is completed on schedule, with production targeted for 2029–2030. ***