Jakarta, 13 August 2025: Indonesia should take full advantage of Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) programme to strengthen its human capital and boost long-term economic competitiveness, ERIA has said.

Speaking at the Indonesia Business Council (IBC) Conference on Strengthening Workforce Diplomacy, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe described the programme as a ‘catalyst for human resource development’ that can deliver lasting benefits beyond remittances.

‘Opportunities to work in advanced, high-wage economies push people to invest in skills. When they return, they bring back expertise, perspectives, and experiences that help drive national development. This is a real ‘brain gain’ for Indonesia,’ he said.

President Watanabe highlighted the deep trust underpinning Indonesia–Japan relations, strengthened in 2023 when ASEAN and Japan marked 50 years of friendship and co-operation. Leaders agreed to deepen ties through cross-generational partnerships, co-creation of the future economy and society, and collaboration for peace and stability.

He also underlined the economic significance of migration, noting that Indonesia’s inward personal remittances reached US$16 billion in 2024 – exceeding annual foreign direct investment from most individual countries into Indonesia.

The conference gathered government officials, business leaders, and development experts to discuss ways to strengthen skills, protection, and empowerment for Indonesian migrant workers, as well as opportunities through the SSW programme. Indonesia’s Minister of Migrant Workers Protection, Abdul Kadir Karding, called for more strategic skills matching and stronger safeguards to help workers integrate successfully into foreign labour markets.

On the sidelines, President Watanabe and Minister Karding discussed potential collaboration in human resource development and strategic talent mapping, with a focus on preparing Indonesia’s youth for emerging opportunities abroad.