Talks between Tokyo and Jakarta on the potential joint development and production of advanced frigates for the Indonesian Navy continue at the highest levels of government, the Southeast Asian nation’s envoy to Japan has said, as the two countries seek to deepen defense-industrial ties.
After Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani discussed the issue on separate visits to Jakarta earlier this year, the topic is also set to be high on the agenda when the Self-Defense Forces’ top uniformed officer, Chief of Staff Yoshihide Yoshida, visits Indonesia later this month, Ambassador Heri Akhmadi told The Japan Times in a recent interview.
Efforts to procure and co-produce a customized variant of Japan’s Mogami-class frigates — which Tokyo also hopes to export to Australia — remain a priority for the administration of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Akhmadi said.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.