Manado-Narita Cargo Flight Eases Indonesia’s Export to Japan

Tokyo, MINA – The Regional Government of North Sulawesi initiated the first cargo flight of Garuda Aircraft from Manado (MDC) to land off in Narita (NRT), Japan on Thursday.

Flight GA 8800 on the Manado-Narita route is fully supported by the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo and carries a cargo of 12.2 tons consisting of fresh tuna from eastern Indonesia, as well as other commodities such as pumpkin, various spices such as kencur, turmeric, and nutmeg.

The first flight, which is associated with the 56th Anniversary of North Sulawesi Province, is a breakthrough for Indonesian exports to penetrate the Japanese market and in an effort to recover the economy amid the pandemic.

“This flight is part of an effort to make North Sulawesi the Pacific Gateway of Indonesia, with Sam Ratulangi Airport as a transit hub for fishery export products from North Sulawesi and its surroundings, namely North Maluku, Papua, Gorontalo and Maluku provinces. Aviation also carries commodity spices for example export aimed at reintroducing some of Indonesia’s superior products that were traded since centuries ago and have high historical value, “said the Chargé d’Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Tri Purnajaya.

The Indonesian government in collaboration with Garuda Tokyo fully supports the inaugural cargo flight to encourage increased economic cooperation and optimization of various leading Indonesian sectors such as agriculture, maritime affairs, fisheries and tourism, in the midst of a pandemic.

The cargo flight on the MDC-NRT route is scheduled to operate from September to October six times, i.e. once a week every Wednesday.

This positive development is expected to further open up opportunities for exports of various national commodities to the country of Sakura. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)