RI-Japan`s 60th anniversary should give impetus to deals: Jokowi

Bogor, W Java (Antaranews) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) believes the commemoration of the RI-Japan 60th diplomatic anniversary should act as an impetus to implement deals that have been agreed upon by the two countries.

The statement was released by Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, after President Jokowi met with the Japanese prime minister`s special envoy Toshihiro Nikai at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, on Friday.

"The president has stressed since the beginning that the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan should not be just a ceremonial event," she noted.

Marsudi said that during the meeting, Nikai reaffirmed the importance of Indonesia to Japan and the South-East Asian region.

"He also said that Japan lauds Indonesia`s leadership in the region," she stated.

Meanwhile, President Jokowi mentioned some ongoing and future projects, such as the support extended to Indonesia by Japan in organizing the Asian Games 2018 and the various infrastructure projects.

With regard to the Asian Games 2018, the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masafumi Ishii had earlier stated that his government would soon select the company that will provide facial recognition and behavior analysis machines to be installed at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta.

During Friday`s meeting, President Jokowi and Ambassador Nikai also discussed the potential for environmental cooperation to normalize conditions in Citarum River in Bandung, West Java.

Marsudi pointed out that as a result of the discussion, the Japanese deputy minister of environment will soon visit Citarum River to see what can be done to assist Indonesia with the project.

Nikai`s visit to Indonesia, with a delegation of prominent Japanese officials, coincides with the 60th anniversary of RI-Japan diplomatic relations, for which commemoration events will be held at Fatahillah Park in Jakarta on Friday.

The inauguration will be attended by the Japanese special envoy and the Indonesian special envoy to Japan, Rahmat Gobel. (WDY)