BNI Continues Expansion In Japan, Times MSMEs Are Encouraged To Play A Stronger Economic Role

JAKARTA – PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk. (BNI) is said to have established cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Japan to prepare a national MSME product distribution center.

Director of Treasury and International BNI Henry Panjaitan said this effort was taken to reduce logistics costs and make Indonesian MSME products more competitive in the Sakura country market.

“At the BNI Tokyo office, we have a meeting room that can be used by MSMEs for business meetings. We have MSME product display products, virtual business matching that can be directly sold in Japan," he said in an official statement on Saturday, April 30.

According to Henry, the company provides information about the characteristics of the Japanese market at the export SME centers in Indonesia which are spread across seven cities and carries out integrated promotions.

"As a company that has various branches abroad, BNI has a vision to bring Indonesia to the world, including Japan, considering that this country has very high standards for a product, so that MSMEs that can penetrate this market must also have qualified capabilities," he said.

Henry added, because the qualification of a product is very high, the key to product success is quality, service and after sales service.

"This is our role to provide assistance in order to penetrate the Japanese market," he asserted.

Meanwhile, one of the potential export commodities is jewelry and pearls. Henry revealed that jewelry and pearl exports have reached 45 million US dollars per year.

In addition, Indonesian food products are starting to be in great demand. Therefore, the role of the Indonesian diaspora in Japan as a trading agent is quite strategic.

“The Indonesian diaspora spread across various countries plays an important role in increasing exports, especially for MSMEs. Diaspora can be a liaison and gateway for local MSMEs to penetrate the export market. In Japan alone there are about 70,000 diaspora," he said.

“The increase in the diaspora in Japan is due to the need for around 1.3 million workers. This is the potential why the diaspora can become an agent of Indonesia's trade with Japan, and become an entry point," concluded Henry.