Indonesia and Japan boost naval security ties amid concern over China’s South China Sea actions

Indonesia and Japan boost naval security ties amid concern over China’s South China Sea actions

Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s three-nation tour continued with a stop in Japan for a meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on July 27, 2022. The leaders pledged to bolster maritime security ties between their countries, further reinforcing Indonesian maritime security capability “to ensure peace and safety at sea in the Indo-Pacific region”. Japan’s Self-Defence Forces will also participate for the first time in Indonesia’s annual Garuda Shield military exercises. The drills set to be held in Indonesia in August will be the largest yet, with troops from Indonesia, the US, Singapore, Australia and Japan involved. Japan and Indonesia also agreed to boost cooperation on climate change, energy and investment between the Asian archipelago nations. Widodo’s Tokyo visit followed a stop in Beijing where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Indonesia and Japan boost naval security ties amid concern over China’s South China Sea actions