"We know what is the condition in Japan now."Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Several Japanese companies have postponed their plans to invest in Indonesia`s Batam island after last month`s earthquake and tsunami, a spokesman said.
"True, several Japanese companies have postponed their investment plans. But I don`t know their exact numbers," Head of the Public Relations and Publication at the Batam Management Board Dwi Djoko Wiwoho said here on Friday.
They delayed their investment plans because of uncertain conditions in Japan following a 8.9-magnitude earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami in northeast Japan on March 11, he said.
"We know what is the condition in Japan now," he said.
He said the Japanese companies intended to invest in Batam after they had several times sent their delegates to study the Batam Free Trade Zone.
Most of the Japanese companies are engaged in the electronic industry.
Chairman of the Batam Chapter of the Indonesian Businessmen Association Oka Simatupang confirmed that a number of Japanese companies had postponed their investment plans.
"According to an unconfirmed report, seven Japanese companies have canceled their investment plans following the tsunami. I don`t know exactly the amount of investment delayed. But they are all engaged in the electronic industry," he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Riau Islands Province Chapter of the Indonesian Businessmen Association (Apindo) Cahya said a supply of components to the electronic industry in Batam was disrupted due to the tsunami.
As a number of nuclear power plants in Japan exploded, power supplies to industries in the country were disrupted. Consequently, Japanese electronic companies could not supply components to electronic industries including those in Batam, he said.
As a matter of fact, electronic companies in Batam had so far relied 40 percent of their needs on imports from Japan, he said.
Batam not only imported electronic components from Japan but also exports electronic products to the country, he said.
"About 60 percent of our electronic products are exported to Japan," he said.
(Uu.S012/A/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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