Joko Widodo Leads BRIN Research Team, Partnering with Japan for Disaster Mitigation Project
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with Japan’s National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED), has officially strengthened its research alliance for disaster management through the inaugural 1st BRIN-NIED Annual Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Workshop held at the B.J. Habibie Building, Jakarta.
This annual forum marks the launch of a cross-sector research collaboration project covering multi-hazard mitigation, seismic engineering and resilience, emergency information systems, water and sediment disaster management, and earthquake observation.
Joko Widodo, Head of the BRIN Disaster Response Task Force, emphasised that the strategic partnership between Indonesia and Japan is crucial, given that both countries share geographical landscapes surrounded by high potential for natural disasters.
“Indonesia and Japan face many similar disaster challenges, including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, and extreme weather,” said Widodo.
He stressed that the complexity of these threats demands global collaboration. Strengthening mitigation and community resilience cannot be done partially; it must be supported by science-based research, the adoption of cutting-edge technology, and international synergy.
Cross-Sector Synergy and Modern Mitigation
The workshop brought together multidisciplinary researchers and experts to formulate the future direction of disaster research development. Several strategic issues were analysed in depth, ranging from meteorology and heatwave threats, landslide dynamics, earthquake and tsunami mitigation, and volcanic activity, to remote sensing and the strengthening of local community resilience.
Widodo expressed hope that this bilateral cooperation could accelerate technology transfer, increase joint scientific publications, and produce applicable action programmes. The long-term goal is to boost the scientific capacity of both nations while providing a tangible impact on the public, from refining early warning systems to creating a more resilient society in the face of disasters.
Expanding Networks to the ASEAN Region
On the other hand, the President of NIED Japan, Professor Kaoru Takara, enthusiastically welcomed the workshop as a new chapter for more massive knowledge exchange between the two countries. Takara highlighted the high level of vulnerability faced by the ASEAN region and Japan to threats such as earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme hydrometeorological events, and the impacts of climate change. According to him, Japan and ASEAN are in a strategic position to learn from one another.
“I believe we can exchange experiences from Japan to ASEAN, and vice versa, as well as between ASEAN nations,” said Takara.
Furthermore, Takara encouraged this partnership not to remain within the bilateral corridor of Indonesia-Japan, but to expand into part of the regional disaster research ecosystem in the Asia-Pacific region.
He also commended the establishment of BRIN’s centre of excellence under the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) network. The presence of this research centre is believed to strengthen global collaboration, as NIED itself previously served as the host for the IRDR centre of excellence in Japan. Through close synergy under the IRDR community, the exchange of data, experience, and innovative research is expected to provide real solutions in reducing disaster risks at a global level.