Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has said that his administration is seeking to collaborate with the Japanese government on disaster mitigation.
He conveyed the plan for collaboration while receiving the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Kanasugi Kenji, here on Tuesday.
Pranowo said that he was interested in establishing cooperation with Japan in disaster mitigation, especially since he had visited the country.
“I think Central Java needs to build cooperation in the field of disaster mitigation with Japan. The country had also invested in Indonesia, so we need to escalate our cooperation. I was also asked to give suggestions regarding potential investment sectors in Central Java,” he remarked.
Cooperation is important not only in the industrial sector but also in the field of education to prepare qualified human resources, he said.
“President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) wants to develop electricity-based transportation, and Japan has a good experience in that sector. I think our opportunity for cooperation is not only for the industry but also for preparing qualified human resources,” he added.
A cultural approach is important for Japan since they are known as a country that is active in preserving culture, he remarked.
“We can approach Japan through the cultural sector since they have a fairly high culture in the society,” Pranowo remarked.
During the meeting, the Japanese ambassador also discussed cooperation on tackling terrorism.
“Besides that, they are curious on how do we prevent terrorism and deradicalization. Moreover, we have exchanged many students to Japan in the field of education,” he informed.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Kanasugi Kenji said that there were 21 companies and 300 Japanese citizens in Central Java who had contributed to the local economy.
“I would like to enhance economic relations and various fields in the future. And I also spoke with the Governor on the fields of security, education, and culture in an effort to enhance this cooperation further,” Kenji informed.
Source: Antara News