Japan and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen defense and security ties, the countries’ top diplomats and defense chiefs said Monday as they met in Tokyo to promote maritime security and military exercises as well as defense equipment and technology cooperation.
The move comes less than a week after Indonesia, which is interested in acquiring Japanese military equipment, announced plans to upgrade a key defense pact with Australia that could also open up opportunities for deeper trilateral cooperation with Japan amid growing concerns about the regional security environment.
But while these steps signal Jakarta’s willingness to institutionalize security ties with trusted partners, its outreach to Tokyo and Canberra should not be interpreted as a shift toward Western alignment, experts warn, but rather as part of efforts to broaden its strategic options.
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