Indonesia and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on critical minerals and nuclear energy on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum in Tokyo on March 15, 2026, with Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa formalizing the agreement.
The pact aims to strengthen critical mineral supply chains and advance low-carbon nuclear energy technologies, with Indonesia positioning itself as a key partner given that the country controls around 43% of the world's nickel reserves, alongside substantial deposits of bauxite, tin, copper, and rare earth elements.
Minister Bahlil called the agreement a cornerstone for global supply chain security, expressing that leveraging Indonesia's strategic mineral wealth through this partnership would accelerate the development of clean energy technologies, while openly welcoming Japanese businesses to co-develop these resources.
Minister Akazawa stressed that tightening international cooperation is critical amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, noting that Japan has already built up strategic energy reserves as a safeguard, and expressed appreciation for Indonesia's continued support in supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan.
Beyond minerals and nuclear energy, both countries plan to deepen energy cooperation under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) framework, including reinforcing LNG and coal supply chains and fast-tracking energy transition projects such as the Sarulla Geothermal Power Plant and the Legok Nangka Waste-to-Energy Plant in West Java.
