Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indonesian President Joko Widodo agreed Thursday to step up bilateral cooperation in fields such as maritime security, green energy and infrastructure development.
In a joint statement on comprehensive strategic partnership released after their meeting in Jakarta, the leaders affirmed the expanded partnership will “place greater emphasis on concrete cooperation for the benefit of the two countries and beyond, including in new areas of common interest.”
At the talks, held on the fringes of three days of summits related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from Tuesday, the leaders pledged to work together to maintain a free and open international order based on the rule of law, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
The leaders reached the agreement in commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Indonesia diplomatic relations this year.
Kishida also asked the president, widely known as Jokowi, for his understanding and cooperation over the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the Pacific, which began on Aug. 24, and the Indonesian leader expressed his understanding, according to the ministry.
The water discharge has caused confrontation between Japan and China as Beijing has strongly opposed the project, citing concerns about potential negative impacts on the environment and human health.
Later in the day, Kishida met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who became the country’s leader late last month following the resignation of his predecessor and father, Hun Sen.
The two nations agreed on boosting security cooperation, such as through a visit by the Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Cambodian naval base of Ream, the ministry said.
Kishida also briefly chatted with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown.
