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Candidates answer to public curiosity over foreign policy
Among the three candidates, Prabowo was the only one who openly said he would continue President Jokowi's foreign policy, which heavily centers on the pursuit of national welfare.
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2024 presidential election candidate Ganjar Pranowo presents his vision for Indonesia's foreign policy strategy on Nov. 7, 2023, during an event at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) headquarters in Central Jakarta. (CSIS Indonesia/Handout/Ruslan)
In the last few days, outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Kenji Kanasugi has won the attention of netizens with TikTok videos of him raising brief but substantial questions to presidential candidates Ganjar Pranowo and Prabowo Subianto circulating on social media.
Kanasugi was among the attendants of the foreign policy platform presentation by the three presidential candidates contesting the Feb. 14, 2024, election, which was organized by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta earlier this month. Ganjar had his turn on Nov. 7, Anies Baswedan on Nov. 8 and Prabowo on Nov. 13.
The questions from the Japanese envoy have been manipulated with the clear aim of insulting the presidential hopefuls.
Kanasugi will soon end his three-year stint in Indonesia as he has received a new ambassadorial assignment to China, which should be a great promotion. His replacement will be Yasushi Masaki.
On social media, netizens made fun of Ganjar as if he did not understand Kanasugi’s question which was asked in English. Simultaneous translation was available during the CSIS forum. Before asking his main question, the Japanese ambassador thanked Ganjar for warmly accompanying Japanese Emperor Naruhito to Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, in June, when Ganjar was governor of the province.
Ganjar then shared his experience with the emperor and his short conversation with former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, who accompanied the emperor. Ganjar then answered the question from the Japanese envoy, which centered on changes he would introduce to the foreign policy of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
"Our foreign policy will be the same. All Indonesian presidents did the same thing. But we want to make priorities. What is important and what should become priorities,” Ganjar said in his reply.
