The 40-year-old saleswoman for the Japanese supplement drink company and the 78-year-old former comfort woman have completely different views on Japan.
The sentiments of these two Indonesian women reflect the current, future and past relationship between Indonesia and Japan.
The leaders of Japan and Indonesia need to learn from both of these perspectives, in order to enhance not just their bilateral relations, but also to help improve mutual trust among countries in Asia.
While the view of the saleswoman is encouraging, that of the former comfort woman is especially important for Japanese leaders to consider, because denials of the country's past have -- unnecessarily -- damaged the image and reputation of Japan in the international community.
The younger woman is happy to work for a Japanese company, because her Japanese bosses treat her and her fellow workers well. She is grateful for the job, and never misses the monthly luncheon with the Japanese bosses at the company's office in East Jakarta.
The older woman has a lot of bitterness toward Japan because of her experience as a sex slave during Japan's three-year occupation of Indonesia. When she was only 13, she was forced to sexually serve Japanese soldiers in Telawang, South Kalimantan, for three years until Japan surrendered to the Allies in 1945.
She was angry when several months ago Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe insisted there was no evidence Japan forced Asian women into sexual slavery, although he softened his remark later after an international outcry.
""I wish I could slap him in the face, tell him he is a liar,"" she told the media recently.
As long as Japanese leaders are unable to honestly accept their nation's history, Japan will never play the pivotal role on the international stage that the country deserves.
Today, visiting Prime Minister Abe will meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The two leaders will witness the signing of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The two sides have expressed optimism the EPA will accelerate economic ties and that Japanese investment will flow back into Indonesia after many Japanese companies relocated their operations to neighboring countries in the last several years.
No less than 150 top businesspeople, including CEOs and the chairs of top Japanese companies like Toyota, are accompanying Abe on his trip to Indonesia, Malaysia and India.
Although domestically Abe could soon become a lame-duck leader, this in no way takes away from the importance of his visit to Indonesia.
Japan is Indonesia's most important trading partner, biggest money lender and largest foreign investor. But since the economic crisis in 1997, many Japanese companies like Sony have either scaled down their activities here or abandoned Indonesia altogether.
Japanese companies have cited China, Thailand and Vietnam as being much more attractive than Indonesia.
Indonesia, however, is geopolitically strategic, given its position as the anchor of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and its potential to play a deterrent factor for Japan against China's rising power.
Indonesia's supplies of oil and gas also play an important role in meeting Japan's energy demands.
We welcome Prime Minister Abe and his large entourage. Today's signing of the EPA is a major landmark for the two countries. A prosperous Japan is a great benefit for Indonesia and for Asia as a whole, and a stronger Indonesia is also helpful for the stability of the region.
And its Asian neighbors would be happy to see a mature Japan play a leading role in building a better world.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|