After personally visiting Natuna regency in Riau Islands to put a damper on the spat with the Chinese coast guard there earlier this week, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has now invited Japan to invest more in developing the outermost islands bordering the highly disputed South China Sea.

Jokowi delivered his invitation at the State Palace on Friday when he met with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who responded with not only a commitment to help develop Natuna, but also to empower Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) — which has been at the forefront of patrols in Natuna waters as part of Indonesia’s "white hull" diplomacy (as opposed to the gray hulls of the Navy) .

“I'd like to invite Japan to invest in Natuna,” Jokowi said as quoted on the Cabinet website.

He also expressed his appreciation for the existing cooperation with Japan in an integrated maritime affairs and fisheries center (SKPT) on the Natuna Islands.

In his visit to Jakarta, Motegi also met with Indonesian officials including with his counterpart Retno LP Marsudi, during which he repeated his offer to become more involved in Indonesia's maritime development, describing the two nations as fellow maritime and democratic countries.

Cooperation on fisheries between Indonesia and Japan in Natuna and many other outer islands across the country has already entered the next phase, but Jakarta wants to intensify collaboration in the SKPT development in Natuna.

"This is an issue that has been discussed for a long time. The President reiterated this because he just returned from Natuna and his message is that the development of fisheries in Natuna should continue to be strengthened," Retno said.

Diplomatic tension heightened between Indonesia and China over the past week after the latter's fishing boats and coast guard vessels entered the North Natuna Sea. Jokowi visited Natuna regency on Wednesday, asserting Indonesia’s sovereign rights over natural resources in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea, just as China softened its tone and most of its vessels left the EEZ.

Retno said Indonesia also hoped that the second phase of all SKPT projects — which includes the construction of ports and fish markets, training programs for fishermen, programs to improve fisheries supervision, tourism development and energy cooperation — could be followed up in the near future.

According to Motegi , Japan is planning to begin projects to improve ports and fish markets on Indonesia's outer islands next month.

Japan and Indonesia also agreed to speed up coordination to hold so-called two-plus-two ministerial meetings between their foreign ministers and defense ministers, Retno said.

The regional situation in the South China Sea was also on the table on Friday, with Motegi saying, "We shared a serious concern regarding efforts that tried to change the status quo unilaterally and we want to continue close collaboration."

But he did not refer to China — which is also Indonesia's largest trading partner and one of its biggest foreign investors.

Japan has also offered to grant fisheries surveillance vessels and help Indonesia explore tourism potential on Natuna and other outer islands.

In the case of Natuna, Indonesia has been looking to develop the group of islands into an international geotourist location, while looking at Guam and Hawaii for inspiration.

In his speech at the ASEAN Secretariat later that day, Motegi said that Japan's initiative was to help Indonesia, which was working to improve its maritime law enforcement and coordination between related authorities.

“This year the Japan Coast Guard will start providing training opportunities and sending its specialists to Bakamla at full scale, with the goal of sharing its expertise on the management of coast guard organizations and actual law enforcement activities,” he said.

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