JAKARTA — The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has entered into a strategic partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to strengthen fisheries human resources, in a move aimed at supporting both national development and labour shortages in Japan.
Speaking in Jakarta on Monday, Lilly Aprilya Pregiwati, Secretary of the ministry’s Agency for Extension and Human Resources Development, underscored Indonesia’s commitment to supplying skilled professionals to the global market. “Indonesia is ready to contribute as a reliable partner in providing a skilled, certified workforce that meets industry needs,” she said.
The collaboration follows a visit by JICA experts on March 30, 2023, which marked the formal start of the initiative. The programme is designed not only to enhance the capabilities of Indonesian fisheries workers but also to establish a more robust and internationally aligned training system.
Pregiwati explained that the initiative will focus on improving workforce readiness for employment in Japan, while simultaneously strengthening domestic training infrastructure. Planned measures include the development of modern learning facilities, the deployment of international experts, including Japanese language instructors, and access to training programmes in Japan.

The partnership will run for three years from the arrival of JICA experts and will be implemented at the Jakarta Technical University of Fisheries, the Karawang Marine and Fisheries Polytechnic, and the Ambon Fisheries Training and Extension Center.
Officials said the programme is expected to advance Indonesia’s national priority programmes while helping to meet labour demands in Japan’s fisheries sector, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement between the two countries.