Vice President Ma’ruf Amin and Second Lady Wury departed for Nippon Budokan to attend former Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Shinzo Abe’s state funeral on September 27.
Amin was dressed in black suit and pants, black kopiah, and a black-white ribbon on the left chest, while the Second Lady wore a black brocade kebaya.
From the statement of the Liaison Officer (LO) for Indonesia, at 1:01 p.m. local time, VP Amin and his wife would have already been in the car in front of the hotel to head to the venue.
However, at 12:46 p.m. local time, Amin had just finished an interview with several Indonesian journalists regarding his arrival in Japan.
Moreover, there were many heads of government from several countries staying at the same hotel as the vice president, including Indian PM Narendra Modi, Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong, the Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte, and Bhutanese PM Lotay Tshering.
This means that the line at the hotel lobby might have changed the schedule requested by the LO.
VP Amin and the Second Lady arrived at the hotel lobby at 1:05 p.m. local time, and the departing group was very limited, as the two were only accompanied by Adjutant to the Vice President Colonel Inf. Fierman Sjafirial Agustus and Director General of Protocol and Consular affairs Andy Rachmianto.
According to The Japan Times, there were 4,300 people in Nippon Budokan, including heads of state or government from 218 countries, comprising U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, and South Korean PM Han Duck-soo.
The ceremony began at around 2 p.m. local time when Shinzo Abe’s wife, Akie Abe, dressed in a black kimono, brought in Abe’s ashes that was followed by the firing of 19 shots into the air.
At the end of the procession, VP Amin and Mrs Wury laid a wreath to express their condolences and tribute to Shinzo Abe.
A sympathy mission
Shinzo Abe served as PM of Japan for almost nine years (2006-2007, 2012-2014, 2014-2017, and 2017-2020). He resigned in 2020 for health reasons and passed away on July 8, 2022, at 67 after being shot during a speech in Nara City, Japan.
Vice President Amin recognized Shinzo Abe as the person, who helped strengthen Indonesia-Japan relations.
“I was sent to attend this (state funeral) because Japan is an important partner for Indonesia, especially in the economic sector,” Amin said at the hotel before leaving for the state funeral site in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The VP emphasized that former PM Shinzo Abe was a person, who played a major role in enhancing Indonesia-Japan relations, thereby making both countries as strategic partners.
“Strengthen the closer friendly relationship between the Indonesian people and the Japanese people. We want to improve the closer relationship through more concrete cooperation,” he stated.
Conducting the mission of sympathy, Amin and Wury also attended the greetings occasion to convey condolences directly to PM Fumio Kishida and Akie Abe at Akasaka Palace, Tokyo, after the state funeral ceremony.
“On behalf of the Indonesian government and all Indonesian people, I express my deep condolences over the passing of former PM Abe,” he told PM Kishida at the Akasaka Palace on Tuesday afternoon.
The VP also expressed his appreciation and respect for PM Abe’s leadership, especially in improving Indonesia-Japan relations into a strategic partnership.
“PM Abe’s contribution had further strengthened the friendship of the people of the two countries. He will always be remembered by the people of Indonesia,” the VP affirmed.
Furthermore, Amin conveyed greetings from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and hoped to meet PM Kishida again at the G20 Summit in Bali on November 2022.
“Hopefully, we would be able to meet again at the G20 Summit in Bali in November,” he remarked. The vice president also expressed his condolences to Akie Abe.
“Mrs. Akie Abe, on behalf of the Indonesian government and people, I express my deepest condolences for the passing of Mr Shinzo Abe,” he said while also conveying Jokowi and First Lady’s greetings for her.
The Indonesian Ambassador to Japan and the Federated States of Micronesia Heri Akhmadi said Shinzo Abe was a figure, who was considered successful in stabilizing economic and political conditions in his country.
“It is rare for a Japanese prime minister, especially when he is no longer on duty, and a state ceremony like this is held. This shows how special Abe is in the Japanese government,” Akhmadi stated in Tokyo on Monday, September 26.
He noted that the trend of Indonesia-Japan economic cooperation had once declined, but Abe’s leadership boosted economic and socio-cultural cooperation with Indonesia, especially in the areas of education, labor exchanges, and also defense.
Diplomatic mission
In addition to the sympathy mission, Vice President Amin actually conducted an even bigger mission, which is a diplomatic mission for Indonesia’s benefit.
Vice President Amin and PM Fumio Kishida joined in a courtesy call together at Akasaka Palace on Monday, September 26, the day before the state funeral ceremony.
“Japan is one of Indonesia’s important economic partners. President Joko Widodo’s visit to Tokyo last July showed Indonesia’s commitment to continue real cooperation that brings benefits to the people of the two countries,” the VP stated at the meeting.
PM Fumio Kishida expressed his gratitude for the vice president’s willingness to attend the funeral of former PM Shinzo Abe.
PM Kishida expressed openness to exchange views with the VP to conduct diplomatic efforts.
“Mr Vice President has attended the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Japan in 2019. I believe our country’s long historic friendly relations have deepened in recent years,” PM Kishida said.
Hence, the VP expressed keenness to enhance concrete cooperation, based on the agreement when President Jokowi had visited Tokyo in July 2022.
“For example, the signing of the protocol change in IJEPA (Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement) at the G20 Summit in November. We hope the issue of investment, its expansion, its realization, and new investment, worth US$5.2 billion, can be completed soon,” Amin explained.
The government seeks to increase its cooperation in other sectors comprising infrastructure, sharia economy, halal industry, tourism, and energy.
The targeted sectors align with the expectations of Indonesian citizens living in Japan, as conveyed during a dialogue with VP Amin through Zoom.
At the online meeting, Andi Laver, representing the Indonesia Community in Japan (ICJ), sought work safety support.
“The suggestion to the Indonesian and Japanese governments is more ‘support’ for friends, who work in the field. Plenty is needed, such as work safety and health, and about ‘what is next’,” he stated.
Source: ANTARA News