RRI.CO.ID, Mataram - The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Provincial Administration is moving to formalize a strategic alliance with Japan, eyeing a sister province partnership that could open new doors for labor migration, renewable energy, and fisheries export.

The initiative gained momentum following a diplomatic visit by the Japanese Consul General in Surabaya, Miyakawa Katsutoshi, who met with NTB Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal in Mataram on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

The meeting marks a pivotal step in mapping out collaboration between the two regions. For Japan, the interest is driven largely by a pressing need for productive-age workers to offset its domestic demographic crisis, while NTB is seeking to leverage Japanese investment to upgrade its industrial and tourism infrastructure.

Head of the NTB Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Baiq Nelly Yuniarti, noted that the province is ready to follow in the footsteps of Jakarta and East Java by establishing a formalized regional partnership.

“This cooperation model has previously been implemented in several regions such as DKI Jakarta and East Java. And the governor has expressed NTB's readiness to explore a 'sister province' [partnership]. It remains to be seen which province is suitable,” Nelly stated in Mataram on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The scope of the potential partnership extends deep into the maritime sector. During the discussions, Japanese representatives specifically inquired about NTB’s logistical readiness, including distribution channels and port capacities, to support the export of high-quality fishery products.

This alignment comes as Japan seeks stable food supplies and looks toward the emerging new energy sources currently being developed within the province.

Consul General Miyakawa Katsutoshi described the visit as a preliminary phase to understand the local landscape before committing to concrete agreements. He pointed out the stark contrast in the Japanese expatriate population; currently, only 76 Japanese nationals reside in NTB, compared to the hundreds of thousands living in neighboring Bali.

Miyakawa views this gap as a significant opportunity to promote NTB’s investment climate and tourist destinations to the Japanese public. “We talked a lot about tourism, labor, energy, and industry. We exchanged many ideas,” Miyakawa remarked.

Despite the optimism, Miyakawa emphasized that actualizing these plans will require rigorous technical studies and inter-agency coordination between the provincial administration and central governments of both nations.

“Miyakawa emphasized that Japan sees quite broad opportunities for cooperation in NTB. However, further discussion is still needed with various parties, both at the NTB Provincial Administration level and the Japanese Government,” Nelly explained, quoting the Consul General.

“I think there is a lot of potential for cooperation. We have to talk to the relevant agencies first, and then with the Japanese government as well,” he added.

While Japan faces a shrinking workforce, the NTB administration is eager to ensure its local commodities gain added value in the global market. Ultimately, the sister province diplomacy is expected to serve as a bridge, improving the competitiveness of NTB’s workforce while securing the infrastructure needed for a sustainable economic future. ***