'We won't let Indonesia fall'

'We won't let Indonesia fall'

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's vice finance minister Eisuke Sakakibara
has said Japan will build a united front with Singapore and the
United States to save Indonesia from ruin, a daily reported
yesterday.

"We will never let Indonesia break down at any cost,"
Sakakibara, dubbed "Mr. Yen" for his strong influence on foreign
exchange markets, said in an interview with the Tokyo Shimbun.

"Japan has kept close contact with the United States and
Singapore and paid attention to the situation," Sakakibara said.

"I hope we can work out some new idea in the end."

Sakakibara played a key role in striking a deal with Singapore
last November which saw the city-state and Japan offer five
billion dollars each to Indonesia as part of their commitment to
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) package for the country.

Japan plans to provide 50 billion (US$400 million) in
additional aid to support crisis-hit Indonesia's economic reform
program following 20 billion yen loans Tokyo promised during the
East Asian summit in December.