Japan Ready To Help Indonesia If Developing MRT Outside Jakarta

MRT Jakarta. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is ready to work together to develop a mass rapid transit (MRT) mode of transportation in cities other than Jakarta if there is a request from the Indonesian government.

"If we receive a request from the Indonesian government, we are ready to cooperate in other cities in Indonesia," said Chief Representative of JICA Indonesia Yamanaka Shinichi in Jakarta, Friday, January 10.

According to Yamanaka Shinichi, this is because after seeing the success and rapid development of the MRT transportation mode in Jakarta.

Previously, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi saw MRT Jakarta transportation as the best project or flagship project for cooperation between Japan and Indonesia.

According to the President Director of MRT Jakarta William Sabandar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi conveyed that he was very satisfied with the rapid development of the Jakarta MRT, such as the number of passengers that exceeded the target to the large contribution of the MRT in changing the culture of Indonesian society.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agrarian, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism or the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan, Kazuyoshi Akaba during a visit in December 2019 said that the MRT Jakarta mode of transportation can contribute to overcoming congestion problems.

Akaba also praised the Jakarta MRT station for being well maintained and the MRT train speed being faster than MRT trains in Japan.

The Japanese government itself has expressed interest in collaborating with the Indonesian government in the phase II development plan for the Jakarta MRT transportation mode.

The construction of phase II of the Jakarta Integrated Moda Raya (MRT), from the HI Roundabout to the City Station, is considered still running according to schedule and is targeted to be completed around the third quarter of 2024.