Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his commitment Saturday to continue talks for an economic partnership with Japan, the head of a visiting delegation of Japanese business leaders said.

"We have already received a positive reaction from the president. (He) is expected to take initiatives to accelerate the process of making that economic partnership agreement," said Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren).

Okuda was speaking to reporters after meeting with Yudhoyono as a part of Keidanren's mission to Southeast Asian countries to pave the way for Japan to conclude free-trade agreements with them.

According to Muhammad Hidayat, chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, Yudhoyono agreed to continue FTA talks, which had been started by the previous administration.