After the first change in government leadership in almost five decades, Japan has pledged to continue bolstering ties with Indonesia, an envoy says.
Following the defeat of the Liberal Democrats, the new government in Tokyo will embark on enhancing political and security ties with Jakarta.
"Relations between Japan and Indonesia will not be affected, no matter who is in power," the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Kojiro Shiojiri, told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview.
"Indonesia is a very important country for Japan, and establishing good relations is not only for the benefit of both countries but also for the whole region."
Yukio Hatoyama, from the victorious Democratic Party, will officially become Japan's new prime minister Wednesday, after the party's landslide victory in August's elections. During campaigning, Hatoyama said he intended to move closer to Asia while seeking an overhaul of relations with chief ally the United States.
Although Japan has focused on economic ties with Indonesia during their 51-year relations, Shiojiri said Tokyo was already considering building closer political and security ties with the world's third-largest democracy.
"Indonesia is now a global player, not only in Asia but also in the world. We see an opportunity in the future to enhance political cooperation and security ties for the welfare of the people," he said.
Japan is one of Indonesia's major trading partners and one of its largest money lenders and aid distributors.
Unlike other donor countries, Japan has provided assistance in a number of areas without interfering in internal politics or governance, particularly when dealing with human rights issues.
Indonesia's and Japan's two-way trade stood at more than US$12 billion in the first half of this year.
Both countries signed the Economic Partnership Agreement in 2008, aimed at removing tariff barriers and boosting bilateral trade, which slid by 42 percent in just the first half of this year.
The deputy head of Mission at the Japanese Embassy, Takio Yamada, said Asia's growth was important for the Japanese economy as it could provide the key to solving the global financial crisis for many nations, including Japan.
"It is true. Japan has focused more on its economic *than its political clout* in Asia and I think it will be much the same in the future under the new government," former Indonesian ambassador to Japan and the United States, Sumadi Broto-diningrat, told the Post.
"But it doesn't mean Japan's interests in Asia are all about business opportunities. Japan would also like to build strong political ties with Indonesia, especially because of its strategic importance in ASEAN."
ASEAN is the only grouping that has managed to bring Japan, China and South Korea under one umbrella - ASEAN +3 - after decades of prolonged hostilities among the three.
"Indonesia is the biggest country in ASEAN ... and Japan is eager to have a good relationship with Indonesia," he said.
