Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti said that her ministry was committed to supporting the stakeholders, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), at the forum, which was among the series of activities joined by the Indonesian trade mission to Japan.
“Collaboration between the two countries as trading partners is expected to be stronger and mutually beneficial,” she said in a statement issued on Friday.
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A total of 13 collaborations, including in paper products, wood pellets, seafood, chocolate, rattan decoration, wooden furniture, coffee beans, charcoal, labor, and biomass business development, were agreed upon at the business forum on Wednesday.
On that occasion, Esti outlined Indonesia’s strategic position as the largest country in Southeast Asia and its position as a major trade and investment partner.
According to the deputy minister, Indonesia has shown strong economic resilience, growing 4.87 percent in the first quarter of 2025. It recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$4.9 thousand per capita per year in 2024, she highlighted.
In addition, Indonesia experienced a significant increase of 20.8 percent in investment realization in 2024, compared to the previous year.
According to Esti, bilateral trade relations between Indonesia and Japan have the potential to open up large market opportunities in several prominent sectors.
Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to Japan have recorded a positive growth of 8.8 percent in the last five years (2020–2024).
In 2024, exports to Japan were dominated by coal, which accounted for 15.8 percent of Indonesia’s total global exports; nickel, 5.52 percent; and electrical conductors, 4.07 percent.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s non-oil and gas imports from Japan showed a positive growth of 8.21 percent during the same period, she informed.
Indonesia’s main imports from Japan were metal products (3.03 percent), motor vehicles (2.9 percent), and copper (2.81 percent).
The deputy minister met with several parties in Japan as part of the trade mission, including the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, Japan-Indonesia Association (JAPINDA), ASEAN-Japan Center (AJC), and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Japan.
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The Indonesia-Japan Business Forum also helped the Ministry of Trade promote the Indonesian Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.
Themed “Strengthening Synergy: Unlocking Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement for Sustainable Trade in New Economy Era,” the forum featured 27 Indonesian exporters.
They belonged to various sectors, such as renewable energy, sustainable fashion, building materials, and food and beverage products.
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Translator: Kelik Dewanto, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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