Japan assists IKIP Surabaya

JAKARTA (JP): The Japanese government has agreed to donate a 40 million yen (Rp 1,5 billion) language laboratory to the Education and Teachers Training Institute (IKIP) of Surabaya.

Japanese ambassador Taizo Watanabe and Indonesian director general for higher level education Bambang Soehendro exchanged the diplomatic note on the cultural aid here yesterday.

Watanabe said that an estimated 73,000 Indonesians currently study the Japanese language, the fourth largest number in the world outside Japan.

"They are actually saving us an important group of intermediaries and will bring our people closer," Watanabe said in the ceremony where IKIP Surabaya's rector Soerono Martorahardjo was also present.

IKIP Surabaya established the Japanese Language Education Program in 1981. (05)