- Negotiations
In July 2005, Japan and Indonesia formally began negotiations on a bilateral free trade and economic agreement. Japan has more investment tied up in Indonesia than in any other Southeast Asian country. And Tokyo is particularly concerned about access to Indonesia’s natural resources, especially gas and oil. Indonesia is currently Japan’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas.
The two governments aimed to reach a deal by the end of 2006 but it took two years. The pact was signed on 20 August 2007 and went into effect on 1 July 2008. As with JPEPA, a small number of Indonesian nurses and healthcare workers are allowed into Japan to work temporarily under the agreement, provided they pass Japanese language examinations.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Infernal Elf / CC BY-NC 2.0
9-Aug-2008
About 200 Indonesian care-givers and nurses have arrived in Japan to take part in the two nations’ economic partnership agreement, officials said.
1-Aug-2008
ABC
Japan says about 200 Indonesian care workers and nurses are scheduled to travel to the country in August under a bilateral economic partnership agreement.
27-Jul-2008
Japan Focus
The Japanese side is strongly selling the concept of capacity-building in Indonesia in key areas such as the auto parts industry. Despite such promises, it is difficult to envision how such nascent industries will compete with the now cheaper Japanese imports.
1-Jul-2008
Tomorrow will be a historic day for Indonesia and Japan as the two countries sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) which will go into effect on July 1, 2008.
27-Jun-2008
Jakarta Post
Environmental groups have warned that Japan could "dispose waste" in Indonesia under an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) the countries signed last year.
2-Jun-2008
Indonesia and Japan have effectively started bilateral economic cooperation under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) framework starting on July 1.
19-May-2008
Reuters
Japan is set to accept nurses and elderly-care workers from Indonesia, possibly as soon as July, the financial daily Nikkei said on Friday, as the country struggles to care for its rapidly growing ranks of old people.
20-Apr-2008
HDR Japan
The Diet (Japan’s Parliament) is set to approve an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Indonesia, which will open the door to foreign nurses and care workers for the first time in history, government officials said.
15-Nov-2007
Jakarta Post
The Japanese parliament is expected to soon start the ratification process for the recently signed economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Indonesia, an official says.
20-Aug-2007
Jakarta Post
According to Indonesian Employers Association chairman Sofyan Wanandi, there is no guarantee of an increase in Japanese investment as a result of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement signed today