Japan to donate 2 patrol vessels to Indonesia

Japan is donating two new patrol vessels to Indonesia under its Official Security Assistance program as Tokyo seeks to address security challenges in the region.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense said this month that the House of Representatives approved the offer made by Japan in line with the ministry’s development policy and non-pact defense international cooperation.

The vessel transfer will help strengthen maritime defense and improve the Indonesian navy’s capabilities, the ministry said.

Tokyo and Jakarta have also been discussing a plan to jointly develop a naval ship with Japanese technology, according to media reports.

The 18-meter (60-foot) aluminum-hulled high-speed patrol vessels are designed to operate in waters and coastal areas. Their primary role would be inter-island patrolling, especially in waters around Nusantara – Indonesia’s planned new capital in East Kalimantan province.

“The patrol boat transfer serves a dual purpose – bolstering Indonesia’s naval capabilities and advancing Japan’s diplomatic efforts in the region, particularly amid its rivalry with China,” Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta, told BenarNews.

Waffaa said the vessels would play a crucial role in monitoring Indonesia’s archipelagic sea lanes, particularly the Makassar Strait, which directly connects to the Celebes and Sulu seas.

These are key areas for maritime security not only for Indonesia but also globally due to threats such as piracy and terrorism.

“The area is also strategically significant as a potential route for submarines from both China and Australia,” the analyst said.

Japan considers Indonesia to be playing “a pivotal role in ensuring stability of the Indo-Pacific region, facing important sea lanes,” said the Japanese foreign ministry in a statement.

As comprehensive strategic partners, Japan and Indonesia share fundamental values and principles, the ministry said, adding that the high-speed patrol boats will “contribute to enhancing monitoring and surveillance capabilities of Indonesia as a key archipelagic country in the region.”

Raden Mokhamad Luthfi, a defense analyst at Al Azhar University Indonesia, said that the deployment of the patrol boats near Indonesia’s new capital signals Japan’s support for enhancing maritime security in the region.

“The advantage of these small vessels lies in their ability to navigate narrow and shallow waters, making them particularly suitable for deployment near Kalimantan, which is crisscrossed by numerous rivers,” Luthfi said.

Their sleek and lightweight design, combined with powerful engines, allows for high-speed maneuvering and zigzag pursuits, he said.

“This makes them suitable for special operations missions, particularly for Indonesia’s elite navy unit, the Frogmen Command, known as Kopaska,” Luthfi said.

Japan is also planning to transfer a new offshore patrol vessel worth 9 million yen (U.S. $60,000) to Indonesia’s maritime security agency, or Bakamla, in 2028.

During his visit to Indonesia in January, Japanese Defense Minister Gen. Nakatani and his counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, discussed a proposal to jointly develop a warship for Indonesia with Japan’s technology.

The plan was first put together in 2021 but it has stalled.

 “Japan has a vested interest in maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific and views Indonesia as a key partner,” said Khairul Fahmi, co-founder of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies.

“With rising tensions in the South China Sea and China’s growing influence in the region, Japan wants to ensure that Indonesia has stronger maritime security while also maintaining a positive bilateral relationship with Tokyo,” Fahmi said.

Both Japan and Indonesia are embroiled in maritime disputes with China.

Japan and China both claim sovereignty over the Senkaku or Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea while Indonesia and China have rival claims to the Natuna islands in the South China Sea.

In another development, Sjafrie held a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth upon the latter’s appointment, the Indonesian defense ministry said.

Sjafrie stressed the importance of strengthening defense cooperation between Indonesia and the U.S., it said.

U.S. troops are due to take part in the multilateral Komodo naval exercise in eastern Indonesia this month.