Japan and Indonesia have pledged to deepen economic and defense ties during a visit by the Japanese prime minister amid heightened global geopolitical tensions.

JAKARTA: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a set of projects in Indonesia worth a total of 129 billion Japanese yen (US$815 million) during his visit to Jakarta on Saturday (Jan 11) for a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Saturday. The state visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and explore various cooperation opportunities between the two nations.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has begun a tour of Malaysia and Indonesia as part of his effort to further strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asia as threats from China rise in the region.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was in Malaysia and met with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Friday to strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asian countries as China’s threats grow in the region.