Bogor – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto received a visit from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Saturday (11/1) with a festive welcome.
PM Ishiba’s arrival was greeted with a motorcade, and with the public including students who enthusiastically greeted him along the road to the Bogor Presidential Palace. There were also a number of children dressed in Indonesian traditional clothes carrying Indonesian and Japanese flags.
When PM Ishiba’s vehicle arrived at the gate of the Bogor Presidential Palace, he was greeted with 36 horsemen and a guard of honour ceremony while being accompanied by a welcome song by the Lokananta Drum Band.
Prabowo greeted PM Ishiba directly at the door of his car and then both walked through the red carpet past the guard of honour.
Upon arrival at the Palace veranda, Ishiba was greeted by 21 cannon blasts. Then, the national anthems of both countries were played.
Then, Prabowo introduced the Indonesian delegates who accompanied him, including Minister of Defence Sjafrie Samsoedin, Minister of Investment and Downstream/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Roesan P Roeslani, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadia, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Minister of Communication and Digital Meutya Hafid, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Meanwhile, the Japanese delegation introduced were Aoki Kazuhiko, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary. Akiba Takeo, Secretary General, National Security Secretariat, Mori Masahumi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, Ijima Isao, Special Advisor to the Cabinet, H.E. Masaki Yasushi, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Indonesia, Funakoshi Takehiro, Senior Deputy, Ministers’ Secretariat MoFA, Nakamura Ryo, Director General, Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department, MoFA, Tsuchimichi Akihiro, Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Kaihara Kentaro, Executive Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Before meeting Prabowo, PM Ishiba visited the Kalibata Main National Heroes Cemetery, Jakarta, to lay a wreath and pay tribute to national heroes.
In his press statement, PM Ishiba said Indonesia was one of the countries visited in his first series of visits abroad. This is because Indonesia is considered to have a large economic market and PM Ishiba wants to improve better relations with the Southeast Asian region.
On the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel, Indonesians were seen watching the welcoming ceremony. Some also commented on the festive welcome.
‘Alhamdulillah, Mr President Prabowo Subianto is great, the people of Indonesia are proud of Mr Prabowo in dealing with foreign guests very authoritative & firm,’ wrote Djoko Budiono’s account. (RR)