Japan And Indonesia Increase Defence Cooperation – OpEd

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to boost defence cooperation between their nations, which encompasses a transfer of technology related to the main defense system and equipment, Antara news agency reported.

Both countries agreed to establish a discussion forum for defense practitioners and hold a 2+2 meeting involving the foreign and defense ministers from both countries.

“In our bilateral discussions on security cooperation, we have agreed to create a forum for defense practitioners to address issues related to maritime security, including cooperation on defense equipment and technology transfer,” Antara reported quoting PM Ishiba as saying at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Jan. 11, 2025.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Coast Guard (Bakamla) earlier signed an agreement to receive a grant from the Japanese government for the construction of an offshore patrol vessel (OPV), which will be built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. The OPV construction is fully funded by Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

While specific details regarding the main defense equipment technologies involved in the transfer were not disclosed, Japan has recently suggested a joint development of the Mogami-class frigate.

President Prabowo and PM Ishiba led their respective delegations to a bilateral meeting at the Bogor Palace, attended by ministers and high-ranking officials from both countries. This meeting was part of PM Ishiba and his wife Yoshiko Ishiba’s state visit to the Bogor Palace.

President Prabowo and PM Ishiba also met one-on-one at the presidential office.

According to the AFP news agency, Japan will give Indonesia two high-speed patrol boats, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Jan. 11, as Tokyo seeks to boost regional maritime security cooperation in the face of competing territorial claims with China. 

Ishiba made the pledge during a visit to Jakarta, where he held talks with President Prabowo Subianto on a range of bilateral issues.

“We agreed on establishing working-level defense consultations on our maritime security, including on defense equipment technical cooperation,” the AFP reported quoting Ishiba as saying in a joint statement.  

“We also agreed to […] provide high-speed patrol boats through Official Security Assistance, which would be our first with Indonesia.”   

He said the two countries also agreed to cooperate in decarbonized energy sectors, such as geothermal power, hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels.  

Before arriving in Jakarta, Ishiba held talks in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, describing strengthening ties with Southeast Asia as “one of the biggest priorities” for Japan.   

The trip, he said, made him aware of the “explosive growth of Japan to give Indonesia high-speed patrol boats in security deal The prime minister’s trips to Malaysia and Indonesia mark Ishiba’s first official state visit since taking office in October. 

“Diplomatic engagement in this region is as extremely important to Japan as it is to the United States”, the AFP reported quoting Ishiba as saying.  

“I would like to share the understanding with […] Trump that Japan and the U.S. working together towards the peace and stability of this region will contribute significantly to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region and the whole world,” he continued referring to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. 

With U.S. encouragement as it seeks to counter China, Japan has been deepening security ties in the region.  China claims almost all of the South China Sea despite an international ruling in 2016 concluding its claims have no legal basis. But China rejected the 2016 PCA (Permanent Court of Arbitration) ruling.

Huge unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the South China Sea, though estimates vary greatly. Last month, Japan’s top diplomat Takeshi Iwaya expressed “serious concerns” to his Chinese counterpart over Beijing’s increasing military activity, and also cited worries over the “East China Sea situation, including around the Senkaku Islands”, a chain of uninhabited islands claimed by Beijing but administered by Tokyo. 

Japan is already providing equipment and other assistance to the Philippines, which is also engaged in territorial disputes with China.  

Last year the Philippines ratified a key defense pact with Japan, which allows them to deploy troops on each other’s soil.

By increasing defence cooperation with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, Japan wants to make them ready against aggressive China in the South China Sea.