Japan mulls US$540m RI loans

Japan mulls US$540m RI loans

TOKYO (AFP): Japan is considering fresh loans worth US$540
million to Indonesia at a planned meeting of donor nations this
week, Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) said Sunday.

Indonesia will estimate its debt next year at $4.9 billion
during the World Bank-backed meeting on Indonesia's economic
reform, to be held in the Japanese capital on October 17 and 18,
NHK said.

Jakarta will call on donor nations and international
institutions to help make up for the debt, the national
television network said.

Tokyo is now finalizing a plan to provide fresh loans worth 58
billion yen ($540 million) to Indonesia to help finance five
projects designed to support the agriculture and other
industries, NHK said.

Japan is currently Indonesia's largest donor nation and the
Southeast Asian giant is one of the major recipients of Japanese
overseas aid.

On Tuesday, Japanese Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa met
Rizal Ramli, Indonesia's coordinating minister for the economy,
in Tokyo and said his government was ready to announce fresh
support for Indonesia at the donor nations' meeting.