Indonesia and Japan Agree on Cooperation for Critical Minerals and Nuclear Energy
Sun 15 Mar 2026, 08:35 AM
Share
Indonesia and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in two strategic sectors, namely critical minerals and nuclear energy, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum (IPEM) in Tokyo on Sunday.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR), Bahlil Lahadalia, stated in a press release received in Jakarta on Sunday that this cooperation will strengthen a more integrated and sustainable energy system.
He conveyed that Indonesia is very open to collaborating on critical mineral management, given that Indonesia holds the world's largest nickel reserves, as well as resources in bauxite, tin, copper, and rare earth elements.
"We are very open; we are pleased to invite the Japanese government and Japanese business partners to co-manage our critical minerals in Indonesia," said Bahlil.
On the same occasion, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ryosei Akazawa, emphasized the importance of cross-border collaboration to face global uncertainty, in order to maintain energy security and supply sustainability.
"Amid the current global crisis, it is vital for us to strengthen cooperation to safeguard energy security. Japan itself has prepared strategic energy reserves as an anticipatory measure," he said.
Akazawa also reaffirmed Japan's commitment to continue supporting various energy cooperation projects with Indonesia, including the completion of the Legok Nangka Waste-to-Energy (PLTSa) project as part of the strategic partnership between the two nations.
The Ministry of EMR stated that cooperation in the critical minerals sector will be directed toward strengthening the global supply chain to be more secure and reliable, while nuclear energy cooperation will focus on developing low-carbon technology with high safety standards.
Both countries will further continue discussions regarding the strengthening of regional energy security, including cooperation on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal supply chains, as well as accelerating energy transition projects under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) framework, such as the operation of the Sarulla geothermal power plant (PLTP) and the completion of the Legok Nangka Waste-to-Energy project.
This cooperation between Indonesia and Japan is expected to bolster energy security while supporting decarbonization efforts in the Indo-Pacific region.
Advertisement
