Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto committed to strengthening cooperation across defense, energy, and food security during talks on Saturday in Bogor, Indonesia.
The meeting highlighted Japan’s growing focus on Southeast Asia amid China’s increasing influence in the region.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba arrived in Jakarta on Friday from Kuala Lumpur after meeting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Prabowo welcomed the visiting Japanese leader and said his country is committed to intensifying relations and collaboration across various sectors, according to state news agency Antara. “We are open if Japan wishes to participate in Indonesia’s economic development going forward,” Prabowo said.
Japan to provide patrol boats to Indonesia for maritime security
As part of the discussions, Ishiba announced Japan’s plan to provide Indonesia with high-speed patrol boats through its defense assistance program. These vessels are aimed at bolstering Indonesia’s maritime security capabilities. Ishiba emphasized Japan’s commitment to helping Indonesia enhance its defense infrastructure as “comprehensive strategic partners” sharing mutual values.
“Japan wants to cooperate as much as possible” in areas including the improvement of defense capabilities and energy security,” Kyodo News quoted Ishiba as saying.
The two patrol boats are expected to be supplied as part of Japan’s defense assistance program intended to bolster security ties.
Strategic focus on maritime security
The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a rules-based international order and agreed to convene a third round of “two-plus-two” ministerial talks between their foreign and defense ministers later this year.
“We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and strengthening the rules-based, free and open international order,” Ishiba told a joint press appearance with the Indonesian president after Saturday’s meeting.
Japan and Indonesia already have an agreement on defense equipment and technology transfers, signed during their previous ministerial talks in 2021.
President Prabowo highlighted the “strong commitment” from both nations to deepen ties, including collaboration on infrastructure, energy, and health. He noted that Indonesia’s strategic location along the Strait of Malacca—a critical energy and goods shipping lane—makes maritime security a priority.
Balancing regional dynamics
Japan’s outreach to Indonesia aligns with its broader strategy to enhance relations with Southeast Asian nations. This comes as countries in the region, including Indonesia, navigate the complexities of U.S.-China rivalry.
Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone in the resource-rich Natuna Islands, which overlaps with China’s claims in the South China Sea, has seen skirmishes with Chinese vessels. Against this backdrop, Japan seeks to strengthen ties with nations that share concerns over Beijing’s assertiveness in the region.
Ishiba’s Southeast Asia visit, which also included Malaysia, underscores Tokyo’s intent to bolster regional security partnerships. In Malaysia, Ishiba and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to cooperate on regional security and supply chain resilience.