Japan should invest in Indonesia, according to the CEO of Sinar Mas

An important property developer in Indonesia, whose company is building the country's new capital, has expressed hopes for collaboration with Japanese businesses on the project.

On Thursday, while attending a meeting of business executives from Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Michael Widjaja, group CEO of Sinar Mas Land, spoke with reporters.

2,000 kilometers from Jakarta, the country's current capital, the Indonesian government intends to construct Nusantara, a new capital, in Kalimantan, on the eastern portion of the island of Borneo. For the new capital, a forest area is now being developed.

By August 17 of the following year, according to Widjaja, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo hopes to move to a new presidential palace in Nusantara. He also mentioned that major amenities, such as the five-star hotel Sinar Mas Land, should be operational by that time.

Lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Japanese government officials have expressed concerns about the new capital project, even though many Japanese businesses are reportedly hesitant to participate in it.

Then Widjaja expressed how eager he was to work with Japanese businesses. "Our potential can be doubled," he remarked, citing the assistance of numerous Japanese businesses.

Sinar Mas Land has collaborated with numerous Japanese businesses, such as significant traders Mitsubishi and Sojitz. While many international businesses bemoan the fact that Japanese firms make decisions slowly, Widjaja refuted the claim that this is the case for all Japanese businesses.