Upon Arrival in Japan, Diaspora Rush to Greet Prabowo

The arrival of President Prabowo Subianto in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday (29/3) evening unfolded far from the stiff protocol impressions. A warm atmosphere was immediately felt as the Head of State arrived at the hotel around 8:00 p.m. local time.

At the entrance, the welcome was held simply yet meaningfully. Three Indonesian children dressed in traditional attire presented flowers to the President, opening a series of emotional moments that night.

Upon entering the hotel area, the atmosphere became even more lively. Several ministers who had arrived earlier joined in the welcome, along with dozens of Indonesian diaspora who had been waiting.

They stood in line, some appearing moved as they finally got to see the President up close.

Taufiq, an engineer at an electrical company in Japan, said the moment felt special.

“This is the first time I’ve met Mr. Prabowo in person. Out of hundreds of millions of Indonesians, I get to be here. It feels extraordinary; this will be a core memory in my life,” he said, quoted from a press release by BPMI Setpres on Sunday (29/3).

Ara, a nurse who has long resided in Japan, expressed a similar sentiment. She admitted to feeling nervous before finally meeting him in person.

“Heart-pounding, honestly. At first, I didn’t expect to get this close. This is a rare opportunity for the diaspora in Japan,” she said.

The moment became even more memorable when Ara managed to get the President’s autograph. She said she hadn’t expected such direct attention.

“My position happened to be at the end of the line, right next to him. He was friendly, greeting everyone one by one. Alhamdulillah, I got the autograph,” she said enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, Tiwi, a doctoral student at Chuo University, also felt the same joy. Although she hadn’t had a chance to speak directly, the President’s presence remained a valuable experience.

“Very happy. This is the first time I’ve seen the President in person, even if I haven’t spoken to him yet,” she said.

Tiwi hopes this visit is not just a symbolic moment but also strengthens Indonesia-Japan relations, especially for the diaspora.

“I hope this improving relationship opens more opportunities, both for education, knowledge transfer, investment, and future economic cooperation,” she said.

For the young trainees, the moment was more than just an ordinary meeting. There was a sense of respect as well as pride in facing the head of state directly.