COMPLETION REPORT
Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects of Japan-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation: Marine Pollution
Prevention, Infrastructure Development, and Counter-Armed Robbery against ships
Dr. Senia Febrica (+3)
Senior Researcher
American Studies Center
Universitas Indonesia
Almost half of the world’s trading goods and oil supply pass through key Indonesian straits including the Straits ofMalacca and Singapore, the Strait of Sunda and the Strait of Lombok. Nevertheless, the transport of goods is nottrouble free. Indonesia is facing challenges in three key maritime areas: marine pollution prevention, maritimeinfrastructure development, and counter-armed robbery against ships. This research offers a fresh perspective on
how Indonesia deals with these problems through cooperation with Japan by analysing Indonesian government
documents, and elite interviews in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. As part of this research we had also
conducted content analysis over 900 articles published by Jakarta Post and Kompas, two leading newspapers inIndonesia, from January 1st, 2007 to February 28th, 2017. This research shows that the Indonesian government andmedia continue to view Japan as a valuable partner in maritime cooperation. Japan is seen as a long standing
cooperation partner in marine pollution prevention and control, and counter-sea robbery. Cooperation between thetwo countries in marine pollution has begun in 1960s. Japan has offered sustainable supports in the form offunding, technologies, research, technical experts and training to address marine pollution in the Straits of Malaccaand various parts of Indonesia.
Indonesia-Japan cooperation to counter sea robbery has also started many years before armed robbery attacks inIndonesian waters began to draw international attention following the 9/11 attacks. Although Indonesia refused toparticipate in the Japan led the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery
against ships in Asia, Indonesia has cooperated intensively with Japan at bilateral level. The two countries are
expanding their cooperation efforts to address armed robbery against ships and piracy in the Straits of Malacca andSingapore, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Aden.
The development of maritime infrastructure and connectivity by building up deep-seaports and shipping industry is
one of the key pillars of the Indonesia’s Maritime Axis concept. Japan is portrayed by Indonesian government
officials, documents and media as a suitable partner in this area since Japan is the home of world’s major ports andits port system is well connected to the country’ economic supply chains. Japanese built project is also associatedwith the term “safety”. Despite there is a widespread perception that China and Japan are engaging in a tightinvestment race in Indonesia, the data from the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board shows that the value ofJapan’s investment in Indonesia’s infrastructure sector was five time higher than those of China. Our research also
points to better performance of Japan infrastructure investment projects in Indonesia in comparison to those carriedout by China. Yet, this knowledge is merely discussed in passing in public. Building upon this research we advisethat to improve cooperation between Indonesia and Japan, and enhance public knowledge regarding the twocountries collaboration in maritime affairs there is a need for regular discussion on the matters that involve
academics, decision makers and members of the public.

Publication of the Results of Research Project:
Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)
1. Suzie Sudarman, MA, “Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects of Japan-Indonesia Maritime

Cooperation: Marine Pollution Prevention, Infrastructure Development, and Counter-Armed Robbery
against Ships,” a workshop organised at the Universitas Indonesia, 14 March 2018, Jakarta, Indonesia.
2. We organised a larger workshop in collaboration with the American Studies Center, Universitas
Indonesia and the Indonesian Institute of Advanced International Studies (INADIS) involving anumber of speakers including an expert of Japan’s foreign policy from the Universitas Indonesia, Dr.
Asra Virgianita, and a high government official from the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs andFisheries. This workshop was attended by 25 participants including Ismail, an official from theIndonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; Professor Bonar Pasaribu from the Bogor
Agriculture Institute, and Mr. Yosuke Noda, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan, Jakarta
This workshop was held in Aryaduta Hotel, 7 June 2018. List of presenters and their title ofpresentation during this workshop includes:
2.1 Suzie Sudarman, MA, the American Studies Center, Universitas Indonesia “Opportunities,
Challenges and Prospects of Japan-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation: Marine Pollution Prevention,
Infrastructure Development, and Counter-Armed Robbery against Ships.”
2.2 Dr. Asra Virgianita, the Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia,“Assessing Japanese Aid Performance to Indonesia.”
2.3 R. Tomi Supratomo Ssi, MSi, Head of Programme, the Directorate General of Ocean
Management, the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Pembangunan Sentra
Kelautan dan Perikanan Terpadu di Pulau-Pulau Kecil Terluar dan Kawasan Perbatasan [TheDevelopment of Ocean and Fisheries Centres in Outlying Islands and Borders].
Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)
Senia Febrica and Suzie Sudarman. (2018). “Analysing Indonesian Media and Government Representation ofChina,” Journal of the British Association of Chinese Studies 8:2, pp. 89-119.
Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)