Japan to Beef Up Cooperation on Indonesia Rail Project

The Indonesia’s rail project is aimed at shortening traveling time in the 725-km line between Jakarta and Surabaya from more than 10 hrs at present to six hrs.

Jakarta, 30 Rabiul Awwal 1438/30 Decmber 2016 (MINA) – Japanese and Indonesian transport ministers on Thursday agreed that the two countries will beef up cooperation on a project to speed up existing rail services in the Southeast Asian nation, Japan’s Jiji Press reported.

“We had fruitful exchanges of opinion on strengthening cooperation on infrastructure and transportation,” Japanese transport minister Keiichi Ishii said after a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Budi Karya Sumadi, in Jakarta.

Budi said he appreciates the Japanese government’s cooperative stance.

The rail project involves shortening the traveling time in the 725-kilometer line between Jakarta and Surabaya from more than 10 hours at present to some six hours.

Indonesia is counting on financial and technological cooperation from Japan.

Ishii last week expressed Tokyo’s willingness to cooperate on a feasibility study on the project. (T/RS05/RS01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)