RI hopeful of Japan's aid

RI hopeful of Japan's aid

HANOI (Dow Jones): Indonesia hopes to learn this week how much aid it will receive as part of Japan's US$30 billion assistance package for Southeast Asia, and the conditions that will be attached to it, Senior Economics Minister Ginandjar Kartasasmita said Saturday.

"We would like to get some clarifications from Japan on this," Ginandjar told Dow Jones. "We know how much we want but we don't know how much we are going to get."

He said he hoped this would become clear during next week's meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Southeast Asian leaders here.

Ginandjar declined to say how much aid his country had requested from Japan, but said he expected half to be short-term financing, and the rest in long-term credits.

"The priority should be investing in job creation, the social safety net, and restructuring of the corporate and banking sector," he said.