Minister of Trade Budi Santoso revealed the trade agreement between Indonesia and Japan, the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA), since it was ratified through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 36 of 2008 and has been in effect since July 1, 2008, IJEPA has provided many benefits for Indonesia.
He said the benefits obtained in the form of a trade surplus that has been maintained for more than 17 years, increased investment in the automotive sector and other industries, and increased human resource capacity in the nursing profession sector.
Even so, the Minister of Trade conveyed the urgency of change with the current conditions, including modernization by referring to the ASEAN-Japan CEPA and RCEP agreements, IJEPA needs to be updated to remain relevant.
“Apart from these benefits, there is an urgency to renew the IJEPA agreement with the aim of modernization and maintaining relevance to current challenges,” said the Minister of Trade in a working meeting with the Indonesian House of Representatives, Thursday (13/2/2025).
The Minister of Trade conveyed that the agreed IJEPA changes included adjustments to IJEPA taxes in several chapters, namely general provisions, trade in goods, movement of individuals, intellectual property, trade through electronic systems, government procurement of goods and services, and final provisions.
In addition, the Minister of Trade conveyed that Japan added a commitment of 112 tariff posts that Indonesia could utilize. Where products that received additional preference from Japan include processed tuna and other marine products, bananas and pineapples, food and beverage products, and cocoa powder.
Meanwhile, Indonesia provided an additional commitment for 25 tariff posts, including iron and steel products, rice flour, automotive products, and special rice. He also mentioned that there were 5 benefits from the IJEPA change protocol as follows:
1. Increasing Market Access for Goods and Competitiveness of Indonesian Products: Indonesian exports to Japan increased by US$ 363.4 million in the 5th year of implementation, especially the 112 new tariff posts committed by Japan, namely tuna, skipjack and processed marine products, bananas, pineapples, cocoa powder, organic chemicals, vegetable oils and other food and beverage products. Then Indonesia’s trade surplus with Japan is projected to grow 20.37% annually, with an increase in exports of more than US$ 300 million in the next 5 years.
2. Increasing Market Access: Indonesia’s e-commerce service trade exports increased to US$ 190.6 million in the 5th year of implementation and reached US$ 1.27 billion in the 10th year of implementation.
3. Absorption of Labor: The workforce absorbed includes air transportation, communications, transportation, warehousing, and supporting activities.
4. Increasing Investment: Japanese investment in Indonesia increased to US$ 10.7 billion in the 10th year of implementation. Increasing the competitiveness of domestic industry through technology transfer and capacity development programs.
5. Increasing Cooperation in the Field of Government Procurement of Goods and Services: This cooperation begins in the field of information exchange and development of market access, government procurement of goods and services.
February 13, 2025, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-7777383/ada-perubahan-perjanjian-dagang-ri-jepang-mendag-beberkan-manfaatnya)