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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Niniek Karmini and Achmad Ibrahim

Indonesia and Japan promise deeper defense and economic ties as regional tensions spike

CORRECTION Indonesia Japan - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Japan and Indonesia pledged on Saturday to deepen economic and defense ties during a visit by the Japanese prime minister amid heightened global geopolitical tensions.

Shigeru Ishiba arrived in Jakarta on Friday from Kuala Lumpur after meeting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. His visit to the two countries is meant to promote regional cooperation to counter Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea as the U.S. presence in the region may decrease after President-elect Donald Trump takes office later this month.

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