Enviro News Asia, Tokyo — Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, held a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Minister for Economic Security and Growth Strategy, Minoru Kiuchi, to enhance cooperation in forestry, conservation, and climate action.
The meeting forms part of the state visit of Prabowo Subianto to Japan, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
During the meeting, Minister Kiuchi emphasized that Indonesia is a key strategic partner for Japan, particularly in the forestry sector, and plays an important role not only for Japan but also within the Asia-Pacific region.
He also expressed appreciation for the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and Shizuoka Prefecture on wildlife conservation, particularly the Komodo breeding loan program. According to Kiuchi, the Komodo dragon holds strong public appeal in Japan, comparable to that of the giant panda, and is expected to attract significant public interest.
The Japanese government plans to organize a special welcoming ceremony upon the arrival of the Komodo in Japan. Kiuchi also conveyed Japan’s commitment to supporting the acceleration of animal exchange between iZoo and Kebun Binatang Surabaya.
Minister Raja Juli Antoni highlighted that the bilateral meeting is part of broader diplomatic efforts to strengthen Indonesia–Japan relations. He expressed appreciation for longstanding cooperation, particularly through projects supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
He underscored the importance of enhancing future collaboration, including accelerating the implementation of the Joint Crediting Mechanism in Indonesia’s forestry sector as part of climate change mitigation efforts.
The Minister also reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to expedite the Komodo transfer process, following the planned agreement between iZoo and Surabaya Zoo scheduled for late April 2026.
In addition, he proposed strengthening conservation cooperation through a Sister Park initiative between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and national parks in Indonesia. The initiative aims to promote knowledge exchange, improve conservation area management, and elevate national park standards in both countries.
The meeting reaffirmed the strong commitment of Indonesia and Japan to expanding strategic cooperation in forestry, biodiversity conservation, and global climate action. (*)
