Vice President of Indonesia Ma’ruf Amin’s Visit to Japan To Enhance Bilateral Cooperation for Both Nations

A month ago, on the 5^th of March to be exact, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin went to visit Japan to deepen the strategic connection between the two countries. The visit was notable since the year 2023 celebrated the 65th anniversary of Indonesia-Japan diplomatic relations. During his visit which will last until March 9, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin will hold talks in Osaka and Kyoto about Islamic economics and Finance.

Japan is an essential and strategic partner for Indonesia as the two nations have had bilateral connections for a long time. The signing of the Treaty of Japan in 1958 marked the start of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan, and the intensity of the connection has grown dramatically since then. In 2006, the two nations formed the RI-Japan Strategic Partnership, ushering in a new era in bilateral relations.

The visit comes at a time when Japan is looking to enhance ties with its regional partners and grow its influence in Southeast Asia. As the region’s largest country and a member of the Organization of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN), Indonesia is critical to Japan’s strategy. “Vice President Ma’ruf Amin will make a bilateral trip to Japan, a limited one. There are 3 main agendas that will be the main event while staying in Japan. The first is a bilateral cooperation between the Vice President of Indonesia as the government and several Japanese government officials, including a governor in the future. This trip will be visiting Osaka and Kyoto” said the Vice President’s spokesman, Masduki Baidlowi in Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

The Vice President of Indonesia departed from Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport on Sunday morning, accompanied by his wife and a limited entourage. Upon arrival at Kansai International Airport, Osaka, he was greeted by the Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Heri Akhmadi, and other Indonesian representatives in Japan. The visit is planned to improve bilateral economic connections, particularly in the field of Islamic finance, as Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country and a pioneer in Islamic finance growth.

On the second day of the visit, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin and his group went to Osaka to visit the Istiqlal Mosque. Ma’ruf will be welcomed by the Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, who is also the Chairman of the Osaka Indonesian Mosque Foundation. The main reason Vice President Ma’ruf Amin was there, was to open the Istiqlal Mosque in Osaka. “The Vice President will open a mosque in Japan. The Istiqlal Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Japan. It’s also a source of pride for Indonesian people who live in Japan. Besides that, there are also conversations with people in Osaka and Kyoto, Japan.” Masduki said.

The visit of the Indonesian Vice President is expected to deepen Japan-Indonesia relations and boost collaboration in areas of mutual interest. The emphasis on Islamic finance and economics is particularly noteworthy, considering the sector’s ability to contribute to economic development and financial inclusion in both countries.

Writer: Albert Tjung

References:

1. Rangga Pandu, C. F. O. (2023, March 7). VP Amin leaves for Japan for five-day visit to enhance Coop. Antara News. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://en.antaranews.com/news/274695/vp-amin-leaves-for-japan-for-five-day-visit-to-enhance-coop
2. Medistiara, Y. (n.d.). Tiba di Osaka, Ma’Ruf Amin disambut Dubes ri Untuk Jepang. detiknews. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://news.detik.com/berita/d-6602005/tiba-di-osaka-maruf-amin-disambut-dubes-ri-untuk-jepang/2
3. Kerja Sama Bilateral: Portal Kementerian Luar negeri Republik Indonesia. Kerja Sama Bilateral | Portal Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/page/22/kerja_sama_bilateral#