RRI.CO.ID, Tokyo – The Governments of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Japan strengthened bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector through the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) office in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, on Monday, March 30, 2026.
The MoC was signed by Indonesian Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, and Japanese Minister of MLIT, Yasushi Kaneko, and witnessed by Vice Minister for Resources and Institutions, Martini M. Paham, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) Shigeki Murata, and officials from both countries.
The signing of this cooperation agreement is part of Indonesia’s strategy to strengthen tourism collaboration with East Asian countries, particularly Japan, and serves as a mitigation measure against ongoing global geopolitical dynamics, such as uncertainty in the Middle East, which has the potential to impact international tourist movements.
By strengthening partnerships with countries in the region, Indonesia is encouraging market diversification while maintaining sustainable growth in international tourist arrivals.
The Indonesia-Japan MoC, signed during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to Japan, also marks a significant milestone, as it marks the first time the two countries have established a formal basis for cooperation in the tourism sector. This MoC is the result of intensive coordination and discussions between the two countries over the past two years.
The agreement covers several strategic areas, including joint tourism promotion at various international exhibitions; development of tourism products such as wellness, gastronomy, marine tourism, ecotourism, and culture; destination management and strengthening sustainable tourism, including tourist villages; private sector cooperation, such as in the aviation and travel industries; human resource development through training and skills exchange; cooperation in the MICE sector and international events; strengthening air connectivity; tourism investment opportunities; and enhancing tourist protection and security.
In his remarks, the Indonesian Minister of Tourism stated that Japan is one of Indonesia’s main strategic partners in tourism development. By 2025, Indonesia will record more than 380,000 Japanese tourist visits, an increase of approximately 12 percent compared to the previous year, with an average length of stay of nearly eight days.
The Minister of Tourism also emphasized the importance of air connectivity as a key factor in increasing tourist flow between the two countries. Currently, the Tokyo-Jakarta and Tokyo-Bali flight routes serve as the backbone of tourist mobility, with opportunities for expanding routes to other destinations such as Yogyakarta and major cities in Japan.
Furthermore, the Minister of Tourism also conveyed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s program of sending skilled workers abroad, including in the tourism sector. The Minister hopes this can be prepared, including through a human resource development program within the framework of the recently signed MoC.
The implementation of this collaboration will be carried out through the formation of a Joint Working Group (JWG), tasked with developing an action plan and monitoring the ongoing implementation of the cooperation program.
The MoC signing ceremony began with a bilateral meeting between the two Ministers, followed by a signing ceremony, a group photo session, and an exchange of souvenirs as a symbol of the friendship between the two countries.
Through this collaboration, Indonesia and Japan affirm their shared commitment to strengthening innovative, sustainable, and mutually beneficial tourism collaboration, while simultaneously encouraging increased tourist visits and strengthening ties between the two countries’ people.
AloJapan.com