Ecobiz.asia — Indonesia and Japan are exploring a sister park initiative to strengthen collaboration in national park management, as part of broader efforts to enhance conservation and sustainable tourism.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni proposed the initiative during a meeting with Japanese authorities in Hakone on Sunday (March 29, 2026).
Under the proposal, Indonesia suggested establishing partnerships between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and several Indonesian national parks, including Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and Mount Rinjani National Park, which share similar ecosystem characteristics.
The meeting was attended by Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Director Shichimeko Shuici and Ikuo Yamada from the International Cooperation Office of Japan’s Ministry of the Environment.
Raja Juli said the sister park initiative would serve as a strategic platform to improve conservation area management through the exchange of knowledge, experience, and best practices, including in the development of sustainable ecotourism.
“This collaboration is expected to strengthen national park management capacity while enhancing the global visibility of Indonesia’s conservation areas,” he said.
The Japanese side welcomed the proposal and encouraged further discussions through technical workshops to elaborate on implementation frameworks and operational aspects of the partnership.
The initiative follows a separate agreement signed on March 28, 2026, between Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry and the Shizuoka Prefectural Government on wildlife conservation cooperation, including a komodo breeding loan program.
The growing cooperation forms part of Indonesia’s broader environmental diplomacy during President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to Japan, opening opportunities for expanded collaboration in conservation and protected area management. ***
