BOGOR, WEST JAVA PROVINCE, Indonesia (Reuters) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said during his visit to Indonesia on Sunday (January 15) that it was important to solve the South China Sea dispute peacefully.
Abe made the comments after meeting Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the presidential palace in Bogor.
Abe is in Indonesia on a two-day visit aimed at strengthening maritime security and economic ties.
Widodo told a joint news conference with Abe that the two countries have agreed to cooperate on a number of infrastructure projects.
Abe said they would also cooperate on the issue of abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea. North Korea had admitted in 2002 to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens decades ago. Five abductees and their families have later returned to Japan but Tokyo wants to know the fate of the remaining eight, who Pyongyang had said were dead.
Japanese Prime Minister is on a six-day trip to the region visiting the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Indonesia is the third nation on his itinerary. He is scheduled to leave for Vietnam on Monday.