October 15, 2025 | 04:02 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Japan Foundation Jakarta continues to strengthen Japan’s soft power diplomacy through culture, education, and collaboration with Indonesia, even as anti-foreign sentiment grows in Japan.
“Fortunately, we have not faced any interference from Japanese politicians, so we can focus on deepening the friendship between Japan and Indonesia,” said Kazumi Inami, Director General of the Japan Foundation Jakarta, when asked about the organization’s stance amid Japan’s increasingly anti-immigrant political climate.
Established in 1972 by the Japanese government, the Japan Foundation serves as an arm of Japan’s cultural diplomacy, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation through various exchange programs in culture, art, language, and research.
Its Jakarta office, located in the Summitmas 2 Building in Senayan, acts as a hub for cultural exchange between the two nations.
Beyond serving as a workplace, it also houses a library and learning center, offering Indonesians a space to explore Japanese culture and society.
On Tuesday, the foundation held a press conference to introduce its latest programs aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between Japan and Indonesia.
Shifting Attitudes Toward Immigrants
One of the foundation’s initiatives focuses on employment exchange programs, part of Japan’s broader effort to address its ongoing labor shortage.
However, these programs unfold against a backdrop of growing anti-immigrant sentiment in Japan.
With economic uncertainty and social debates over foreign workers intensifying, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has increasingly pushed for stricter immigration policies, signaling a more cautious stance toward foreign labor despite the country’s demographic challenges.
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