Indonesia Boosts Tourism Cooperation with Japan

RRI.CO.ID, Tokyo - Indonesian Tourism Minister, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, held a bilateral meeting with Japan Airlines (JAL) in Tokyo on Monday, March 30, 2026, to strengthen air connectivity and collaboration in tourism promotion between Indonesia and Japan. During the meeting, the Minister expressed her appreciation for Japan Airlines' contribution in connecting the two countries through its Tokyo-Jakarta flight service, which has played a vital role in supporting tourist mobility, business travel, and people-to-people exchanges between Indonesia and Japan.

Tourism relations between the two countries are showing a very positive trend. In 2025, Indonesia recorded more than 380,000 Japanese tourist visits, an increase of more than 12 percent compared to the previous year. Conversely, more than 636,000 Indonesian tourists visited Japan during the same period, bringing the total tourist exchange between the two countries to over one million trips.

During the meeting, Indonesia also encouraged strengthening air connectivity to offset the high interest in travel between the two countries. Currently, the seat capacity for direct flights between Indonesia and Japan is around 685,000 seats per year with 46 flights per week, which is still below the potential demand for tourism between the two countries.

"Air connectivity is a key factor in strengthening the flow of tourists between Indonesia and Japan. We hope Japan Airlines can explore opportunities to expand services to Indonesia, including increasing flight frequency to Bali and opening access to priority destinations like Yogyakarta," the Minister said.

Yogyakarta is considered to have great potential for Japanese tourists due to its rich cultural heritage and proximity to Borobudur Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This destination is also supported by Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), which is capable of handling wide-body aircraft.

In addition to connectivity, the two parties also discussed opportunities for collaborative tourism promotion through various Japan Airlines platforms, including in-flight magazines, digital channels, and the JAL Mileage Bank network, which can be integrated with the Wonderful Indonesia campaign.

The Ministry of Tourism also encouraged familiarization trips for Japanese travel agents, media outlets, and influencers to improve market understanding and expand the promotion of Indonesian destinations in Japan.

Through this meeting, Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with Japan Airlines as a strategic partner in supporting tourism growth, improving air connectivity, and strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries.