Enviro News Asia, Hakone – Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, held discussions with Japanese officials to strengthen cooperation in conservation area management, including plans to establish a sister park partnership between national parks in both countries.
The meeting was attended by Shichimeko Shuici and Ikuo Yamada, representing Japan’s Ministry of the Environment.
During the discussion, Indonesia proposed developing a sister park collaboration between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and several Indonesian national parks with similar ecosystem characteristics, namely Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and Mount Rinjani National Park.
The proposed sister park initiative aims to enhance the quality of national park management through knowledge exchange, shared experience, and best practices in conservation and ecotourism development. It is also expected to strengthen the global recognition of Indonesia’s national parks.
Japan’s Ministry of the Environment welcomed the proposal and encouraged further concrete steps, including the organization of a technical workshop to explore the collaboration in greater detail. The workshop is expected to serve as an initial platform for developing a practical and sustainable cooperation framework.
The discussion follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 28 between Minister Raja Juli Antoni and Yasutomo Suzuki on wildlife conservation cooperation, particularly focusing on a Komodo dragon breeding loan program.
Both the sister park initiative and the breeding loan agreement form part of Indonesia’s broader efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with Japan, in conjunction with the state visit of Prabowo Subianto. (*)
