Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian and Japanese governments continue to collaborate to build a competitive manufacturing industry, including through training and mentoring manufacturing human resources (HR) to apply digital technology or Industry 4.0.

Head of the Industrial Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDMI) of the Indonesian Industry Ministry, Masrokhan, stated that collaboration in the field of digital technology implementation, including training and mentoring programs for industrial workers and students, had been carried out since 2021 at the Ministry of Industry's STMI Polytechnic and PIDI 4.0.

The program was also coordinated by the Indonesia-Japan Business Network (IJBNet) in the form of the Lean Monozukuri for Making Indonesia 4.0 (LEMMI 4.0) program.

"To support the Making Indonesia 4.0 program, IJBNet works as the local coordinator to approach and coordinate with relevant parties in Indonesia, including the Ministry of Industry, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and related industry parties in the Lean Human Resource Development program," he noted in a statement received here on Thursday.

Furthermore, Masrokhan explained that IJBNet is an institution founded by several industry players in 2018 to accommodate the aspirations and ideas of industry players and related parties to enhance business and technology cooperation relations between both nations.

This year, IJBNet is focusing on developing industrial HR through a superior work program in collaboration with Japan, he stated.

"In the current industrial era 4.0, industrial human resources need to adapt by utilizing digital technology as a solution and an effort to increase competitiveness," he remarked.

Related news: Industry Ministry explores cooperation in providing Industrial 4.0 HR

In general, Masrokhan noted that Indonesia and Japan had collaborated in accelerating sustainable development based on a green economy, green industry, and green technology, including expediting the development of electric vehicles (EV).

Currently, several economic cooperation agreements are in place between Indonesia and Japan, including the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA), for which the General Review process has been completed and is in the process of finalizing the protocol for changes.

The two countries also cooperated in the New Manufacturing Industry Development Center (New MIDEC) that has two pilot projects, namely SME Development for Automotive Industry and Mold and Dies for Machinery, Automotive, and Electronics Industries for the 2023-2028 period, Masrokhan stated.

"The form of implementation includes the New Lean Manufacturing for Making Indonesia 4.0 (New LEMMI 4.0) workshop, as a continuation of the LEMMI 4.0 program that was implemented last year," he remarked.

The trade between Indonesia and Japan has shown an increase over the past three years. The total trade value between the two countries in 2022 had reached US$42.03 billion, an increase of 29.25 percent, from US$32.5 billion in 2021. Meanwhile, the realization of Japan's investment in 2022 was recorded at US$3.56 billion, an increase of 12.5 percent as compared to US$2.26 billion in 2021.

Related news: F&B actors urged to adopt Industry 4.0 against global challenges

Translator: Ade Irma J, Resinta S
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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