Indonesian envoy Akhmadi buoyed by ukiyo-e

After a 2½-year reconstruction period starting in 2021, the Embassy of Indonesia in Tokyo was reopened in December 2023. The gate and building facade are adorned with an embossed batik pattern. In the lobby, visitors are greeted by a large wood carving of Garuda, the Hindu deity said to be the “vehicle” of the god Vishnu. A wall of the spacious lobby is decorated with a “tree of life” (kalpataru), and the window screens are batik. In the front garden is a metal sculpture resembling Prambanan Temple. With distinctive features like these, the embassy has been reborn as a place where one feels the spirit of Indonesia the instant one steps inside.

On the building’s top floor is the office of Heri Akhmadi, the ambassador of Indonesia to Japan. Having assumed this post in November 2020, he is now concluding the fourth and final year of his tenure.

Akhmadi said: “Indonesia and Japan signed a peace treaty and established diplomatic relations in January 1958. Since then, we have developed friendly relations as strategic partners not only in the areas of economy, politics and security, but also in terms of society and culture. The Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement went into effect in July 2008 in order to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of fields. The agreement on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, which allows for the export of defense equipment, was signed and went into effect in March of 2021. The following year, Japan participated in defense exercises in Indonesia. Joint military exercises by Japan are taking place in Indonesia for the third time this year. I think this is a very significant development. It’s my view that this accord is one of the most important agreements to have been signed during my tenure in Japan. In addition, Indonesia and Japan are among the 11 countries participating in the Asia Zero Emission Community, a platform for cooperation towards carbon neutrality/net-zero emissions. These and a range of other agreements between Indonesia and Japan have been established, and the friendship between the two countries is more solid than ever.”

The Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement has established cooperation in a wide range of fields, including the liberalization and streamlining of trade and investment, the movement of persons and the maintenance of energy and mineral resources, private property and business environments. The purpose of the agreement is to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. While exchanges in fields like politics, economics and defense are of course important areas covered by the agreement, said Akhmadi, the most important area is connections among the hearts and minds of people.

“After the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, the president [of Indonesia] at that time came to Japan and donated a library to the city of Kesennuma, which had suffered devastating damage,” he said. “Since then, Indonesia has been engaged in supporting Kesennuma in various ways each year. The year 2021 marked the start of the Indonesia Japan Friendship Festival, which introduces Indonesian culture to the public. The festival is held in a different city every year. In 2024, it took place in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, and over 100,000 people attended. In fiscal year 2024, the number of Indonesians working in Japan surpassed 170,000. That’s twice as many as two years ago. There has been a rapid increase in the number of Indonesians working in factories and on farms in regional areas. For that reason, I’ve been placing a great deal of importance on connections with Japanese people living in regional locations.”

Starting in 2000, Akhmadi frequently stayed in Kyoto. In 2004, he resided there as a visiting research fellow at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University. Through this experience, he became a great admirer of Japan and Japanese culture. He said he particularly loves ukiyo-e.

“I have several works by Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige,” he stated. “I also have quite a large number of works by other artists — I think I have over 200 works in all. When there are things I need to think about, I often spend time in a room with ukiyo-e pictures on the walls. For some reason, my thoughts take shape when I’m looking at ukiyo-e. I love looking for ukiyo-e books in the used bookstore district in Kanda, and when I find the time I make the rounds of antiquarian bookstores. Japan has countless art museums and museums in general, so museum-hopping is something else I enjoy very much. I particularly like the Tokyo National Museum and the other museums in Ueno, the Sumida Hokusai Museum, and the Mori Art Museum. Not only does the Sumida Hokusai Museum have a wonderful collection, but the building, which was designed by SANAA, is stunning.”

The ambassador also likes Japanese architecture. An admirer of Kengo Kuma, he said he actually had occasion to meet and converse with the architect. Japanese buildings are wonderful, he said. The architectural consultant for the newly built Indonesian Embassy is Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates. The late Kurokawa is also well known as the architect who designed Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which opened in 1998. With 2045 as the target year, Indonesia is planning to move its capital from Jakarta to the city of Nusantara in eastern Kalimantan. There may be possibilities for the participation of architects from Japan in the project, which has been called the largest capital city relocation of this century.

Akhmadi has visited areas throughout Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and has been involved in a variety of friendship programs. Wherever he goes, he visits local museums to learn more about the area’s history and culture. Particularly memorable, he said, were the National Ainu Museum and the museum in Okinawa.

“To promote friendship between the two countries, I believe it’s very important for people to interact in a heartfelt way, transcending the framework of economics. That’s also the reason we carry out numerous events and festivals where people can learn about Indonesian culture. Most recently, at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum we presented ‘Harmony in Diversity,’ a lecture and exhibition introducing Indonesian culture. Activities such as a presentation on the history and production process of batik, which my wife has put a great deal of effort into, were popular as well. I think cultural cooperation is very important in promoting connections between the people of Japan and Indonesia.”

Displayed in the ambassador’s office is a vase bearing a chrysanthemum crest. When the emperor and empress traveled to Indonesia in June of 2023 on their first goodwill visit after accession to the throne, this vase and a photo signed by the emperor and empress were presented as an expression of gratitude to Akhmadi, who accompanied them during their visit.

“I was truly honored to accompany the emperor and empress on their visit to Indonesia,” said the ambassador. “The vase and photo that I received are my lifetime treasures. The photo signed by the emperor and empress is something truly precious. It’s a great privilege to be able to display them here.”

2023年12月にリニューアルオープンしたインドネシア大使館。随所にインドネシアの意匠があしらわれ、足を踏み入れた瞬間にインドネシアを感じる大使館に生まれ変わった。その最上階に執務室を構えるのが、ヘリ・アフマディ駐日インドネシア共和国特命全権大使。2020年11月に就任し、任期満4年を迎えた。1958年1月に平和条約に署名し、国交が樹立したイドネシアと日本は以来、戦略的パートナーとして経済・政治・安全保障はもちろん、社会や文化の側面でも友好関係を確立している。2008年7月には、幅広い分野での協力を強化するために、「インドネシア・日本経済連携協定」が発効された。共同軍事演習が３回目を迎えるなど、防衛面での協力でも確固たる結びつきを築いている。

多忙な日々を過ごす大使の趣味は浮世絵のコレクション。北斎や広重をはじめ200作品以上を集めている。浮世絵を見ていると不思議と考えがまとまると大使は語る。自室で浮世絵に囲まれてくつろいだり、浮世絵美術館を訪れたりする時間が大使にとっての至福の時だ。

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