Japan–Indonesia Iftar Enhances Bilateral Friendship

RRI.CO.ID. Jakarta - The Embassy of Japan in Indonesia held an iftar gathering at its official residence in Jakarta, Monday, March 3, 2026, as a form of support for Muslim activities during the holy month of Ramadan. The event also served as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the friendship between Indonesia and Japan.

Chargés d'Affaires ad interim of Japan to the Republic of Indonesia, Myochin Mitsuru, stated that Ramadan provides a valuable momentum to foster closer people-to-people relations. He said that the sense of togetherness reflected in the tradition of breaking the fast represents meaningful and positive cultural values.

In his remarks, he expressed his admiration for the joyful atmosphere among the guests attending the event. “I found that the faces of those who gathered for today’s buka puasa, after they eat and drink, look so happy, very, very happy. I realized that this is a very nice culture and custom,” he said.

The Embassy invited a number of prominent figures and representatives of Islamic organizations to attend the gathering. The event became a platform for strengthening ties between representatives of the Japanese Government and the Muslim community in Indonesia.

Myochin emphasized that grassroots exchanges play an important role in reinforcing bilateral relations. “We believe that people-to-people exchanges at the grassroots level serve as an important means to strengthen the bonds between our countries in the future,” he said.

The Government of Japan has implemented an invitation program for leaders of Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren, to visit Japan since 2004. To date, more than 190 pesantren leaders and teachers have participated in the program.

On the same occasion, the Rector of Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia, Jamhari Makruf, expressed appreciation for the Japanese Government’s consistency in building networks with pesantren communities. He said the program holds significant value in expanding friendship between the two nations.

According to him, the network of pesantren involved in the program has become strong social capital in strengthening Indonesia–Japan relations. He expressed hope that such cooperation will continue and further enhance dialogue and cross-cultural collaboration in the future.