Jakarta (ANTARA) - Japanese entrepreneur Mizuho Kobayashi has expressed his enthusiasm over the Indonesian and Japanese governments synergizing efforts to make halal products more inclusive, which could potentially increase quality assurance for consumers in both countries.

"As a hair stylist, I feel the benefits of halal in an effort to increase the quality assurance of the products I use in the salon," Kobayashi told ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday.

Kobayashi is the CEO of Lond by Ciel Sowal, which has 60 outlets in Japan and five in Indonesia, including Jakarta.

He said that because his enterprise also operates in Jakarta, he understands that a halal certificate is not just a label or fulfillment of religious rules, but also represents the meeting of health and quality standards.

The Islamic value of Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin, which means "grace, love, and peace for all creatures in the universe," can be realized with real and concrete steps through halal certification.

"Halal is not just a label or fulfilling religious rules, but also fulfilling health and quality standards," he reiterated.

Head of the Sakuranesia Society Foundation, Sakura Tomomi Ijuin, said in Jakarta on Friday that her party was very enthused when Indonesia appointed the best members of its younger generation as Literacy Friends of the Indonesian Halal Industry (Saliha).

She added that she hopes to be included in efforts to realize the vision and mission of Saliha Indonesia to further increase inclusive halal product literacy in Japan.

"We are interested in the statement of Aziza Shakila Clarissa, one of the Literacy Friends of the Indonesian Halal Industry (Saliha). She talked about the inclusivity of halal products. By presenting Mizuho Kobayashi, we hope we can help realize this mission together," she said.

As a first step, Sakura Tomomi Ijuin has purchased five halal-certified shampoo products from Indonesia as references to take to Japan.

In the future, she said she hopes that Literacy Friends of the Indonesian Halal Industry (Saliha) can help build literacy regarding Indonesian halal product guarantees and the resulting awareness boosts demand for such products in Japan.

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Translator: Abdu F, Azis Kurmala
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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