Japan, Indonesia to Strengthen Maritime Ties
Indonesia and Japan have agreed to step up maritime security and start discussions on a major railway project to link the Southeast Asian nation's capital and second-biggest city, reported Reuters.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said during a visit to Indonesia that the two Island nations would bolster their cooperation in maritime security and military affairs, MANA correspondent reported.
"As a fellow maritime country, Japan is prioritizing maritime cooperation with Indonesia. Japan is encouraging active cooperation in the field of maritime security with Indonesia (to develop) its remote islands through Indonesia-Japan Maritime Forum set up last December," Abe said in a joint press conference with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Sunday.
Japan and Indonesia have both been involved in a feud with China over maritime territory and waters around them. Last month Tokyo and Jakarta unveiled an agreement aimed in part at strengthening Indonesia's ability to defend its vast marine borders.
Japan has historically been one of Indonesia's biggest investors, but was dealt a blow in 2015 when President Joko Widodo's government awarded China a high-speed train project linking Jakarta with the city of Bandung in West Java.
Tensions around railway deals seemed to have eased on Sunday, when Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after meeting Widodo in Bogor, south of Jakarta, that Japan will cooperate with Indonesia to build infrastructure in the railway and other sectors.