Indonesia president to start Japan tour for talks with Abe, defense pact

Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will begin a four-day official visit to Japan on Sunday evening, a trip that Japanese officials hope will strengthen the strategic partnership between the two major democracies and oceanic states in Asia, Kyodo News reported.
Jokowi is scheduled Monday to hold summit talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the evening after having an audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry
Following the summit, the two governments will sign an accord on defense cooperation that will involve Japanese capacity-building assistance for Indonesian forces, as well as bilateral cooperation in peacekeeping missions, defense equipment development and exchange of military information, according to Japanese and Indonesian officials.