Japan Seeking Stronger Defense Cooperation With Indonesia; Joint Development of Naval Vessels Eyed to Counter China

By Hirotaka Kuriyama and Nobuteru Sakuda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondents

2:00 JST, January 9, 2025

JAKARTA ― By effectively exporting destroyers to Indonesia, the Japanese government hopes to counter China’s increasing maritime expansion and promote security cooperation between Japan and Indonesia.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will meet with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia on Saturday to discuss this issue.

“It is strategically important for Japan to strengthen ties in the defense sector with Indonesia, which has important maritime transportation routes such as the Strait of Malacca,” Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said to reporters on Tuesday after meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Indonesia is the only country that is both a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a member of the Group of 20 major economies. It has the world’s largest Muslim population.

Indonesia is embroiled in a dispute with China over maritime rights in the Natuna Islands at the southern end of the South China Sea.

Indonesia has avoided direct criticism of China, its largest trading partner, but it is highly aware of the threat, as there is no end to illegal operations by Chinese vessels in the waters around the islands.

Indonesia’s maritime defense faces the challenge of modernizing its equipment. The Japanese government has proposed the joint development of naval vessels based on Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers, but earlier negotiations could not be concluded partly due to financial concerns.

The Japanese government hopes to reopen negotiations with the Prabowo administration, which was inaugurated in October, to give concrete shape to the concept. Talks between defense authorities are expected to take place at the director-general level, and measures to improve interoperability between the Self-Defense Forces and the Indonesian military will also be on the agenda.

Nakatani told reporters “it was very significant that we were able to solidify a roadmap for the future in the field of defense” in preparation for the summit meeting.

However, a senior Defense Ministry official has said it is essential to propose cooperation not only in defense but in a wide range of other areas as well, including the economy and society, in order to persuade Indonesia to decide to introduce destroyers, and the prime minister’s diplomatic negotiating skills will be put to the test.