Japan's Koizumi Meets with Indonesian Leaders in Jakarta

Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Friday, meeting with leaders of the Southeast Asian nation.

He held talks with Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

They are believed to have agreed to deepen bilateral defense cooperation, including realizing the export of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's Asagiri-class destroyers to Indonesia.

Before his departure to Jakarta, Koizumi said at a press conference, "Indonesia is a strategically important nation located at a key point in our country's sea lanes and is a partner with which Japan absolutely needs to strengthen defense cooperation."

The Japanese and Indonesian defense chiefs last met on June 5 in Tokyo.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]