Fukuoka prefecture, Kadin sign business networking deal

The Department of Commerce and Industry of Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to transfer knowledge and develop business networking.

Under the MoU, the department, in cooperation with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, will invite 20 leaders of Indonesian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the automotive sector to participate in a workshop on skill transfer and business networking.

“We will host a workshop from Jan. 27 to Feb. 4 next year. During the workshop, the participants will visit several automotive companies in Fukuoka prefecture and receive lectures on the management of the automotive industry,” said Fukuoka director of international business and tourism promotion division, Koichi Gono.

The workshop was designed to improve the product quality of automotive SMEs through improvement of technical knowledge and empowerment of their organizational functions, Gono said.

“SMEs are the key actors in the Indonesian economy. We invite the leaders because they are the decision makers who will influence the future of their companies,” he said.

Gono added that he had high hopes the deal would help Fukuoka prefecture boost its economy after the region was struck by an earthquake and tsunami earlier this year.

Fukuoka is the home of many leading carmakers, including Toyota, Daihatsu and Nissan and is one of the most prominent business regions in Japan.

Kadin vice chairman for SMEs, cooperatives and the creative industry Budyarto Linggowiyono said that the deal would provide the leaders with advantages.

“In the automotive sector, Japan is a great place to learn, not only about production and technology, but also about the working ethos,” he said.

He added that he hoped the two parties would follow the MoU up with future agreements.

“Other than the automotive industry, we still have many industrial sectors that require improvement such as the fashion and handicraft industries,” he said.

Fukuoka international business coordinator Satoko Sujita said that ties in other sectors were possible. (lfr)