TANAKA Akihiko

JICA President Akihiko Tanaka, left, and Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo

JICA President Akihiko Tanaka held talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Tokyo on March 24. It was the second meeting after their previously talks in Indonesia last February.

In his opening words, Tanaka referred to the summit meeting held on the previous day where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan would provide Japanese ODA loan of 140 billion yen related to the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) North-South Line (Phase II), the East-West Line, and the Java-Sumatra Interconnection Transmission Line (Phase II). Tanaka also made remarks that JICA would conclude the Loan Agreements as quickly as possible so as to accelerate the projects. The president responded by expressing his expectation for JICA’s cooperation for the extension of MRT North-South Line, the southern part of which is under construction, to the northern part of the city, and the construction of MRT East-West Line.

Tanaka then referred to JICA Study on Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway Project (as a part of Jakarta-Surabaya) which is currently conducted in cooperation with the Government of Indonesia, and expected that the result of the Study would be utilized in the upcoming consideration. Since the Indonesian leader had planned to travel to Nagoya by Tokaido “Shinkansen” (bullet train), Tanaka expressed his hopes for him to experience the Japanese technology. The Indonesian president responded that the Government of Indonesia had interest in the idea of High Speed Railway Project and showed his expectation for investment from the private sector to realize the Project.

Finally, Tanaka explained that JICA would consider its cooperation and implementation for new projects in line with Indonesia’s new National Mid-term Development Plan.