Kyodo News
April 29, 2022

Japan, Indonesia confirm cooperation toward free, open Indo-Pacific

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday confirmed to strengthen cooperation toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Widodo said Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations stand ready to build cooperation with their partners, and Kishida, who is on the first stop of his trip to Southeast Asia and Europe, underscored the importance of upholding the rules-based international order.

“We are facing many challenges, including the situations in Ukraine, the East and South China seas and North Korea, and maintaining and strengthening the rules-based, free and open international order has become more important,” said Kishida in a joint press conference after the summit.

Japan views Indonesia, this year’s host of the Group of 20 major economies’ summit to be held in November and a key economy in Southeast Asia, as a strategic partner sharing universal values such as democracy and the rule of law. Russia and China are members of the G-20.

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Indonesia has been supportive of Ukraine but has not imposed sanctions on Russia over the invasion.

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With Japan and other Group of Seven nations taking a tough line on imposing sanctions on Russia following its attack on Ukraine, Kishida also plans to ask other ASEAN members, most of which have so far stood aloof from such action against Moscow, to collaborate.

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Japan and Thailand…are seeking to sign an agreement on the transfer of defense equipment and technology to strengthen cooperation in the security field…

In Europe, Kishida is expected to discuss with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson how to respond to Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine and support people who have fled the war-torn country.

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The latest overseas trip follows his visit in late March to India and Cambodia as well as a visit to Belgium, where he and other leaders of the G-7 vowed to keep a close watch on any attempts to help Russia evade sanctions, in a possible warning to countries such as China that may seek to aid Moscow.