The minister put forth the request during a meeting with Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Hiroshige Seko some time back.
"We spoke about aquaculture cooperation in Natuna and North Maluku, as well as in Sabang. Yesterday, during a meeting with Minister Seko, I asked him again, 'When will it be implemented?' rather than only making a plan," Minister Pandjaitan remarked here on Thursday.
Furthermore, the minister drew attention to the realization of coast guard cooperation with Japan. This is since the meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe three years ago, cooperation in the two sectors had yet to be realized.
Apart from deliberating on the planned cooperation with Japan, the meeting between Minister Pandjaitan and Minister Seko also covered several strategic cooperation projects of both nations, including the development of Patimban Port, the continuation of Jakarta MRT development, as well as the Jakarta-Surabaya train projects.
At the meeting with Minister Seko, Pandjaitan also highlighted the significance of increasing the utilization of local resources in all collaborative projects between both nations.
"The current local resources in all projects must be increased since we are also looking for improving our own industries," he emphasized.
The minister pointed out that the Japanese had agreed to transfer technology for ship production at PT PAL (Persero), while in the Patimban port project, Japan had consented to stepping up the utilization of local supporting facilities.
"Currently, some 69 percent of the resources utilized in the Patimban port project are local, and I have called for increasing it further, as we still import large quantities of pipes despite having several pipe factories here. I think they agree to do so, and we spoke about it in detail," he added.
Translator: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
