Politics

Indonesia's manpower ministry and the Japan International Cooperation Agency sign a Memorandum of Cooperation on fostering support for people from the Southeast Asian nation looking to work in Japan. (Photo by Nana Shibata)
Japan immigration

Labor-rich Indonesia aims to send 100,000 workers to aging Japan

Tokyo wants ASEAN talent as staff shortage hits hotels and nursing care

9 December 2023
Law enforcement officers investigate the scene of an explosion that occurred during a Catholic Mass in a gymnasium at a university in the southern Philippine city of Marawi on Dec. 3.
Terrorism

Marawi attack rekindles Islamic State fears in the Philippines

Experts say militants from elsewhere in ASEAN could return to Mindanao Island

5 December 2023
The contenders in Indonesia's presidential election in Jakarta on Nov. 14: The election is unlikely to be decided on foreign policy issues per se. 
Opinion

U.S. and China loom in background of Indonesia's presidential race

Candidates' foreign connections may give clues to election race

29 November 2023
Presidential candidates and their running mates, from left to right, Anies Baswedan, Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto, Gibran Rakabuming, Ganjar Pranowo and Mohammad Mahfud MD, on Nov. 14.
Indonesia election

Indonesia's Prabowo leads as presidential campaign kicks off

Race highlights growing rift between Jokowi and his political party

28 November 2023
Hasyim Asy'ari, chairman of Indonesia's General Elections Commission, addressed an event on Nov. 27 in Jakarta on the eve of the official 75-day presidential campaign period. (Photo by Ismi Damayanti)
Indonesia election

Indonesia readies for 75-day presidential election campaign

Pre-event signals national politics gearing up for an 'important moment'

27 November 2023
Tetsuya Watanabe became president of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia in July. (Photo by Kosuke Imamura)
International relations

Japan and ASEAN can jointly tackle decarbonization, says think tank chief

Partners complement each other technologically and demographically, ERIA head says

23 November 2023
Indonesian officials speak on Nov. 21 in Jakarta at the announcement of renewable energy targets and investment plans, part of a climate financing pledge by the G7 last year. (Photo by Erwida Maulia)
Climate Change

Indonesia finalizes renewables target with G7 climate finance plan

Critics fault exclusion of 'captive' coal in $20bn energy transition program

21 November 2023
A woman walks inside Penang International Airport's arrival hall. The Malaysian state of Penang is popular with Indonesian medical tourists. (Photo by Randy Mulyanto)
Health Care

Malaysia's Penang lures medical tourists from Indonesia

Geographic proximity, linguistic similarities, quality and costs among advantages

21 November 2023
Wajah (center), a migrant from Indonesia, has worked at a food stall in Malaysia for the past five years. (Photo by Amy Chew)
Indonesia election

Indonesian politicians court pivotal diaspora votes in Malaysia

Ahead of elections, migrant workers call on visiting politicians to protect them from abuse

20 November 2023
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison is heavily involved in Indonesia's new capital city project, as well as building mobile networks in the country's vast rural areas. (Photo by Nana Shibata)
Telecommunication

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison installing 4G in Indonesia's new capital

Telecom company also sees country's rural areas as growth opportunity

18 November 2023
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto chaired the two-day 17th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta. 
Middle East crisis

Southeast Asia defense chiefs call for 'immediate truce' in Gaza

U.N. should be more active preventing humanitarian disaster, group says

16 November 2023
Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, right, and running mate Gibran Rakabuming register their candidacies in Jakarta on Oct. 25.
Opinion

Indonesian dynastic politics has crossed over the line

President Widodo is promoting his children in ways predecessors did not

16 November 2023
A Philippine supply boat sails near a China Coast Guard ship during a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed at a grounded warship in the South China Sea on Oct. 4.
Defense

ASEAN defense chiefs meet as Philippines-China spat fuels tension

Wednesday's gathering to be followed by broader talks with U.S. and other partners

15 November 2023
Construction of a bridge to be connected to the national capital Nusantara in Indonesia's East Kalimantan province. Sinar Mas Land plans to build a hotel in the new city. (Source photos by Ken Kobayashi and Reuters)
Travel & Leisure

Indonesian conglomerate Sinar Mas to open hotel in new capital

Developer sees opportunity as government functions begin Nusantara move next year

15 November 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Indonesian President Joko Widodo for talks at the White House in Washington on Nov. 13.
Indo-Pacific

U.S. and Indonesia upgrade ties with eye on critical minerals pact

Biden and Widodo seal 'comprehensive strategic partnership' but Congress wary of FTA

14 November 2023
In front, from left: Anies Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo are fighting to replace incumbent President Joko Widodo, whose economic policies loom over the race. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP, Reuters, and Ken Kobayashi)
Indonesia election

'Jokowinomics' and Palestine gain Indonesia presidential election spotlight

Three months ahead of voting, country's presidential hopefuls 'tend to be populist'

14 November 2023
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has led efforts to ban exports of nickel ore and other minerals to boost their value and foster domestic industries. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters)
Comment

Indonesia's growing resource nationalism stirs Global South

Jokowi's export bans seen as a wake-up call to leading industrial powers

13 November 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden, pictured here at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022, will meet on Nov. 15 in San Francisco for the first time in a year.
Your Week in Asia

Sri Lanka budget, Xi-Biden summit, Japan Q3 GDP

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

12 November 2023
Deputy Minister for Investment Promotion Nurul Ichwan told Nikkei Asia that Indonesia is wide open to any investor, not just Chinese. (Photo by Rhyannon Bartlett-Imadegawa)
Automobiles

Indonesia calls on West to help it develop EV manufacturing power

Deputy investment minister says country is 'open to anybody,' not just China

8 November 2023
Vice-presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming, the eldest son of President Joko Widodo, waves on Oct. 25 after registering himself for the upcoming election.
Indonesia election

Indonesia top judge dismissed over controversial election ruling

Constitutional court last month allowed Jokowi's son to bypass an age restriction rule

7 November 2023
From left to right: Anies Baswedan, Ganjar Pranowo and Prabowo Subianto. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Indonesia election

Indonesia presidential race shapes up as three-way fight

Defense chief jumps in, gains support from Jokowi's two sons amid controversies

25 October 2023
Gibran Rakabuming, the son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the mayor of Solo, speaks to the media on Oct. 19, days before he was nominated to run for vice president.
Indonesia election

Jokowi's son to make Indonesia VP bid alongside father's old rival

Defense Minister Subianto picks 36-year-old Rakabuming as running mate

23 October 2023
Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Pahala Mansury speaks to Nikkei Asia in Jakarta on Oct. 5. (Photo by Nana Shibata)
International relations

China snaps up ASEAN's green, digital investment opportunities

U.S., U.K., France, Australia also join bloc's new projects: Indonesia minister

22 October 2023
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Oct. 19 ahead of a broader summit of Southeast Asian and Gulf leaders. (Photo courtesy of Indonesia's presidential office)
21 October 2023
Former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan, right, and his running mate Muhaimin Iskandar, left, hand over their registration documents for Indonesia's presidential election at the General Elections Commission office in Jakarta on Oct. 19. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
Indonesia election

Indonesia's Pranowo and Baswedan register for presidential vote

Defense chief Subianto also expected to run against ex-regional leaders in February

19 October 2023