Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and visiting Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri confirmed Thursday that their countries will fight terrorism together with the international community in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
During Tanaka's courtesy call to Megawati in the morning, the Indonesian leader said her country condemns any act of terrorism and is determined to fight such forces, a Foreign Ministry official said.
Megawati later met Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and discussed bilateral and international issues.
Indonesia, an overwhelmingly Islamic country, has its own problems with fundamentalist movements, but Megawati visited Washington last week to show her country's determination to cooperate with the international community in the fight against terrorism.
Tanaka said Japan strongly supports Indonesia’s stance, despite its complex domestic situation, and was touched by Megawati’s visit to the United States.
Tanaka also expressed Tokyo's support for Indonesia's various reform efforts, including democratization and structural economic reforms, the ministry official said.
Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's founding President Sukarno, thanked Japan for its support, saying her father always told her that Japan is one of Indonesia's very important friends. Indonesia is the top recipient of Japan's official development assistance.
Megawati arrived Wednesday for her first visit to Japan since taking office in July. She was sworn in after the legislature kicked out her predecessor, Abdurrahman Wahid, over dubious financial deals.