Jokowi pledges to follow up on Japanese investors' complaints

... have already taken actions in response to complaints about infrastructure, land clearance, licensing, fiscal policy, and fuel subsidy, and so far, a lot has also been improved...

Tokyo (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has committed to Japanese investors

in a meeting here on Tuesday to follow up on their complaints regarding investment

problems in Indonesia.

In a collective courtesy call and a business forum meeting with Japanese businesspersons and state institution officials at the Hotel New Otani here on Tuesday, Jokowi gave the businesspersons an opportunity to voice their complaints to him or the accompanying ministers during the current visit to Japan.

"We have already taken actions in response to complaints about infrastructure, land clearance, licensing, fiscal policy, and fuel subsidy, and so far, a lot has also been improved," he claimed.

He revealed that fuel subsidy has been removed since the end of last year in order to have a better fiscal room.

"We will start improving infrastructure this year," he added. He said all the efforts taken were a reflection of the Indonesian government's commitment to improve the investment

climate in the country.

As a concrete example of the government's commitment to accelerating projects, he cited the efforts taken by the government with regard to the power plant project in Batang, Central Java, which had been stalled for the past four years.

"The land acquisition problem for the power plant in Batang has been settled, and hopefully, next month, the project can be started," he affirmed.

Regarding complaints about the requirement that only Japanese experts holding university degrees may apply for a stay permit, Jokowi promised to settle the case immediately after he returned home.

At the meeting, Jokowi was accompanied by Chief Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil, State Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto, Head of the Investment

Coordinating Board Franky Sibarani, and Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Suryo Bambang Sulisto.

The meeting was also attended by representatives from Japanese business associations such as Japinda, Keidanren, Jetro, Friendship Exchange Council and chairmen and CEOs of several large Japanese companies including Hitachi, Daihatsu Motor Corp, IHI Corp, Inpex, Itochu, J-Power, JX Nippon Oil

and Energy, Marubeni, Nikkei Inc., Sumitomo Corp, Ajinomoto, Bank of Tokyo, Mitsubishi UFJ, Honda, JFE Steel, J-Trust, Mitsubishi Corp, NEC, Panasonic Corp, SMBC, and Sojitz.

The meeting is part of Jokowi's agenda during his state visit to Japan on March 22-25. President