Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Japan's Emperor Naruhito at the Bogor Botanical Gardens in Indonesia on Monday, June 19, 2023. - Reuters
JAKARTA, June 19 (The Straits Tims/ANN): Indonesian President Joko Widodo met Emperor Naruhito of Japan at the Bogor presidential palace in West Java on Monday and expressed the hope that the two countries would deepen their ties.
Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, arrived in Indonesia on Saturday for a week-long visit.
This is the Emperor’s first official visit since his ascension to the throne in 2019.
Widodo extended the invitation to the couple in July 2022.
The Indonesian President said he was honoured by the visit, which he saw as a sign of strengthening the friendship between the two countries.
“Such a foundation is needed to develop a strategic partnership between both countries in the future, especially in the economic field,” he said in a live-streamed press statement on Monday.
“The friendship between both countries and the people of Japan and Indonesia must continue to be nurtured amid the current challenges in the world.”
Emperor Naruhito said that he was pleased to visit Indonesia and thanked Mr Widodo for the warm welcome.
He added that the visit enabled him to deepen his understanding of Indonesia’s diverse culture and society, as well as the history of Indonesia and its people, who helped promote friendly bilateral relationships.
“I sincerely hope that exchanges between young people from both countries will lead to further development of friendly relations between our two countries,” he said.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan, as well as the 50th anniversary of friendly ties between Japan and Asean, which is chaired by Indonesia in 2023.
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito with Indonesian President Joko Widodo following a press conference upon their meeting in Bogor, Indonesia, on Monday (June 19). - Reuters
During the meeting, Widodo, who was accompanied by First Lady Iriana, and Emperor Naruhito with Empress Masako planted eaglewood trees and visited the Orchid House in the Bogor Botanical Garden, before having a luncheon.
On Sunday, the Japanese royals visited the MRT station in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, where they were greeted by a number of Japanese people.
The Jakarta MRT, which opened for service in 2019, was funded by a Japanese loan, as well as designed and constructed with Japan’s support.
The two countries developed a close relationship after Japan committed to invest in Indonesia following World War II.
Bilateral trade has been robust, with Japan becoming Indonesia’s second-largest source of imports and fourth-biggest destination of exports in 2022.
Indonesia exported commodities and goods worth US$24.8 billion (S$33.2 billion) to Japan, while its imports stood at US$17.2 billion in 2022.
The East Asian nation was also the fourth-biggest foreign investor in South-east Asia’s top economy, pouring US$3.56 billion in the past year.
In a press conference ahead of his trip last week, Emperor Naruhito acknowledged the past “difficult time” with Indonesia, in a reference to Japan’s wartime occupation of the Dutch East Indies.
Indonesia was under Japanese occupation from 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. It declared independence soon after the conflict ended.
On Tuesday, the Emperor will pay a floral tribute to honour Indonesian independence fighters at the Kalibata Heroes’ Cemetery.
Twenty-eight Japanese soldiers were buried there and named national heroes as they fought alongside Indonesians for independence after Japan’s defeat in World War II.
While in Indonesia, the Emperor will visit a vocational school in Bekasi, West Java, which is located near an industrial park that hosts Japanese companies and trains workers for businesses operating in the area.
The royal couple will also visit Darma Persada University in East Jakarta, which was founded in 1986 by the association of Indonesian alumni from Japan.
On Wednesday, Emperor Naruhito will go to Yogyakarta, where he will be hosted for dinner at the royal palace by Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who is also governor of the special province.
He will also visit the world heritage Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Magelang, Central Java, before flying back to Tokyo with the Empress on Friday. - The Straits Times/ANN
