TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-The trust that the Japanese investors repose in Indonesia’s investment potential remains high, Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chief Franky Sibarani has said.

Japan once again displayed the high trust it places in Indonesia’s investment potential through the arrival in Indonesia of a 1,000 strong Japanese business delegation in the evening on Monday, November 23.

"I think the 1,000 member delegation from Japan is the biggest ever from any country. The delegation will be received by the President," Franky said in a written statement, on Monday.

The Japanese business delegations visit followed close on the heels of a meeting between President Joko Widodo and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.

President Jokowi is expected to receive the visiting Japanese delegation which is led by the Japan-Indonesia Parliament League. It consists of Japanese entrepreneurs and important Japanese figures.

Franky said it will be a positive visit from the investment aspect because it shows that the Japanese confidence in Indonesian investment potential is still strong, though there were many factors that could have discouraged them, including the failure of Japan to secure a fast train project in Indonesia.

President Jokowi had earlier met with Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center on Sunday. The meeting, aimed to boost further cooperation between the two countries, was constructive. The summit meeting took place at a meeting room at the KLCC.

"This shows that strong cooperation between Indonesia and Japan will continue and will become even better," the President said to newsmen on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.

He said, "I have conveyed that all investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and industries will proceed well."

Prime minister Abe said the relations between the two countries have been very good and Indonesia is Japans strategic partner.

He hoped the two countries would continue to cooperate closely in various sectors.

President Jokowi said he would in the near future meet with Japanese businessmen as well as former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda and the chairman of the Indonesia-Japan Parliamentary League, Toshihiro Nikai.

Based on data of the BKPM, Japan was ranked third on the list of investors who realized their projects in the January-September 2015 period with investment reaching 1,318 projects, valued at US$2.5 billion.

Japan was ranked third on the list of investors after Singapore and Malaysia, respectively.

Singapore realized 1, 999 projects worth US$3.55 billion, followed by Malaysia with 600 projects valued at US$2.9 billion. South Korea was ranked fourth with 1,529 projects accounting for US$1 billion and the Netherlands was in the fifth place with 301 projects worth US$908 million.

In the October 22 to November 20, 2015 period, the Japanese investment commitment and interest was recorded at US$19 billion. Of this, secured principle licenses amounted to US$6 billion.

Some US$3.1 billion of the investment interest and commitment has been categorized as serious and principle licenses are expected to be issued.

ANTARA