Indonesia–Japan Green Diplomacy Deepens with Push for Sister Parks and Carbon Investment
Indonesia and Japan are strengthening their environmental partnership through new initiatives linking conservation, tourism, and carbon finance, following a high-level bilateral meeting in Tokyo between Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, and Japan’s Minister of Environment, Ishihara Hirotaka.
The meeting, held on 31 March 2026, marked another step forward in what both sides described as “green diplomacy” between Indonesia and Japan, focusing on forestry cooperation, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation. It builds on a series of exchanges under President Prabowo Subianto’s broader international engagement agenda.
A central outcome of the discussions was the proposal to establish “sister park” cooperation between Japan’s Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and selected national parks in Indonesia. This initiative is intended to promote knowledge sharing on protected area management, strengthen conservation governance, and enhance human resource capacity. Both sides see it as a way to elevate Indonesia’s national parks towards international standards while deepening institutional cooperation.
The Japanese side expressed appreciation for Indonesia’s ongoing conservation efforts, particularly a Memorandum of Understanding with Shizuoka Prefecture on wildlife protection, including a breeding loan programme for the Komodo dragon. This collaboration is part of broader efforts to preserve Indonesia’s unique biodiversity through international scientific and institutional partnerships.
Japan also welcomed Indonesia’s participation in conservation exchanges, including visits to Japanese protected areas such as Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. In addition, Japan invited Indonesia to join the Asia Protected Areas Partnership, a network involving 17 countries focused on strengthening the management of protected areas across Asia.
Beyond conservation, the meeting placed strong emphasis on climate finance and carbon investment opportunities. Indonesia invited Japanese private sector participation in forestry-based carbon projects, particularly afforestation and reforestation initiatives within national parks. These projects are expected to generate carbon credits while supporting ecosystem restoration and local livelihoods.
The discussions take place against the backdrop of Indonesia’s evolving carbon governance framework, including the implementation of Presidential Regulation No. 110 of 2025. This policy establishes the legal basis for the country’s carbon economic value system and enables more structured participation in voluntary carbon markets. It is expected to provide greater certainty for international investors seeking to engage in nature-based solutions in Indonesia.
By opening national parks and forest landscapes to carefully regulated carbon investment, Indonesia aims to align conservation goals with climate finance mechanisms. The government has emphasised that such investments must support both emissions reductions and ecosystem protection, ensuring that environmental integrity is maintained alongside economic opportunity.
The Japanese government, for its part, signalled interest in expanding cooperation with Indonesia’s forestry sector, particularly in areas where conservation, technology transfer and sustainable finance intersect. Private sector engagement is expected to play an increasingly important role, especially as demand grows for high-quality, nature-based carbon credits.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to addressing global climate challenges through practical cooperation. This includes not only emissions reduction and biodiversity protection, but also the development of innovative financing models that can support long-term environmental sustainability.
In many ways, the meeting reflects a broader shift in international climate diplomacy: from commitments and declarations towards structured partnerships that integrate conservation, carbon markets, and investment flows. For Indonesia and Japan, the forestry sector is emerging as a key platform where environmental goals and economic strategy increasingly converge.
