The Jakarta Post reported that a delegation from the Japanese Kansai Economic Federation visited Jakarta to meet with industry minister Mr Mohamad Suleman Hidayat.

The delegation, led by Kankeiren chairman Mr Hiroshi Shimozuma represented a number of Japanese giants, including Sumitomo Metal Industries Limited, Panasonic Corporation, Kyoei Steel Limited, Itochu Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Kansai International Airport Co Limited and Mitsui & Co Limited.

Mr Shimozuma said that he came to congratulate Hidayat on his ministerial appointment. He added that "Our relationship with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is very close. Therefore, one of our missions here is to congratulate Pak Hidayat. We are very happy that our friend, from the private sector too, has become a minister."

Mr Hidayat, who is the Kadin chairman, took the ministerial post on the back of the Golkar Party under Mr Aburizal Bakrie, a former Kadin chairman. During the meeting, Mr Hidayat said, he told the Japanese delegation of the Indonesian government’s objectives in the industry sector for the next five years, which would focus on the industries of food and beverages, agricultural processing, electronics, textiles and infrastructure, and would include development of power plants.

He said that the delegation had addressed the electricity shortages that affected many Japanese investors here.

(Sourced from www.thejakartapost.com)