Japan sees new cooperation opportunities with Indonesia in three sectors

Japan’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim (KUAI) at the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia, Myochin Mitsuru, has highlighted the potential for new cooperation in the fields of energy, critical minerals, and security between Japan and Indonesia.

“There is a lot of potential for cooperation in terms of energy, critical minerals, and even security,” Myochin said after attending the State Address of the President of the Republic of Indonesia at the 2026 Annual Session of the MPR RI and the Joint Session of the DPR-DPD RI in Jakarta on Friday (14/8).

Regarding the President’s state address, Myochin assessed that the speech was very comprehensive, including the achievements that Prabowo has pursued during his leadership.

According to Myochin, the President’s explanation of these achievements was very useful for the diplomatic corps like him to understand Indonesia’s future direction.

“So, I really appreciate it. And of course, it is very beneficial for us to consider strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in the future,” he said.

Regarding the strengthening of future cooperation, he assessed that there is a lot of potential for new cooperation that can be strengthened, especially in the fields of energy, critical minerals, and even security.

“So, the President’s speech today contains many hints for us to consider,” he said.

In his speech, the President of the Republic of Indonesia also expressed his desire to expand job opportunities for skilled migrant workers from Indonesia to many countries, including Japan. Regarding this matter, Myochin assessed that the effort would benefit all parties, including Japan, which is currently experiencing depopulation and therefore needs a large workforce from Indonesia.

Myochin also agreed with the President’s efforts to improve the ability of the Indonesian people to master foreign languages. “We fully agree with strengthening Japanese language education for the younger generation of Indonesia, so that they can easily adapt in Japan,” he said.

The 2026 Annual Session of the MPR RI and the Joint Session of the DPR-DPD RI were held at the Nusantara Building, Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday. The session was attended by President Prabowo Subianto, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, along with the ranks of the Red and White Cabinet and state guests, including ambassadors and representatives from friendly countries.