I was sent to attend this event because first, Japan is indeed an important partner for Indonesia, especially in the economic sector
Tokyo (ANTARA) - Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin attended the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday.

"My fellows, I am now getting ready to attend the funeral of former prime minister Abe," he remarked at the Imperial Hotel before leaving for the state funeral.

Delegates from 218 countries and international organizations were scheduled to attend the funeral, including US Vice President Kamala Haris, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

"I was sent to attend this event because first, Japan is indeed an important partner for Indonesia, especially in the economic sector," Amin said.

Abe played an important role in the improvement of Indonesia-Japan relations to the point that the two countries became strategic partners, he noted.

"And to promote more intimate friendly relations between the Indonesian people and the Japanese people, we want to pursue even closer relations in various forms of more concrete cooperation," he added.

Efforts that will be undertaken to further strengthen relations between the two countries include the agreement reached when President Joko Widodo visited Tokyo in July 2022.

"For example, the signing of the IJEPA (Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement) protocol change, the G20 Summit in November, there are several in which Japan will take part and Japan will also support, as stated by (Japanese) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida yesterday,” Amin said.

The Indonesian Vice President met with the Japanese Prime Minister at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on Monday (September 27, 2022).

"Then also investment issues, investment expansion, realization of investment expansion and new investments worth US$5.2 billion, we expect to be resolved soon," he elaborated.

The nations will also pursue strategic infrastructure projects as well as a resolution to problems surrounding Indonesia's agricultural and fishery export commodities.

"Including what I said yesterday, we also encourage potential cooperation in the sharia economy and the halal industry, especially in leading sectors such as food, cosmetics, fashion, and tourism," Amin added.

Indonesia is ready to become Japan's main partner in the halal business in the tourism sector, he said.

"Especially in the preparation of Muslim-friendly tourism standards, those standards in Japanese destinations and also halal certification, (that's only naming a few) and there are many other things, including energy and more," he added.

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Translator: Mecca Yumna Ning Prisie
Editor: Sri Haryati
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