They have given the government their word to use local Indonesian content."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Japan has offered to use local Indonesian content with regard to the countrys plan to develop a bullet train service.

"They have given the government their word to use local Indonesian content," Sofjan Wanandi, the deputy chairman of Vice President M. Jusuf Kallas team of experts, said at the vice presidents office here on Friday.

He added that Special Envoy to the Japanese Prime Minister Hiroto Izumi had met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla to discuss a number of economic issues on Friday, including the development of the bullet train and a coal-fired power plant in Batang, Central Java.

Japan also offered to transfer the bullet train technology to Indonesia, Wanandi affirmed.

"We must compare an apple with an apple. As the development of the service needs to begin in 2016, the decision must be made this year to make up for the long time needed to make preparations," he stated, adding that the government plans to conduct the groundbreaking ceremony for the first bullet train project in 2016.

The train will serve the Jakarta-Bandung route, with the journey expected to take some 30 minutes, and the project, expected to be completed before 2019, will cost Rp60 trillion.

According to the chairman of the team of experts, the fast train service is expected to reduce travel time and bring down logistics costs.

Moreover, he emphasized that the conventional train service operated by state-owned company PT KAI will continue to be functional.

So far, two countries, Japan and China, have submitted proposals for cooperation in the development of the fast train service, Wanandi pointed out.

"Besides Japan and China, France has also expressed interest but has yet to submit a proposal. We will invite them, as well," he noted.

Indonesia plans to develop the fast train service to boost intercity connectivity.

Japan had given a grant worth US$15 million for the feasibility study of the project during the government of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
(Uu.B019/H-YH/INE/KR-BSR)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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