Reashot Xigwin
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In case someone didn't know about it, there's currently a Japanese boom going on in the country.
Japanese culture grips Indonesia as firms flood in
by Angela Dewan
AFP-JIJI
Sep 1, 2013
Two on one: A Japanese sumo teacher engages in a mock match with two children during an exhibition before a two-day sumo tournament in Jakarta on Aug. 24. | AFP-JIJI
In front of thousands, two sumo wrestlers charged at each other with full force, their bodies colliding with a tremendous smack that echoed through the arena in Indonesias capital, Jakarta.
The first official sumo tournament to be held outside Japan in five years saw wrestler Kotoyuki gain an early advantage against his opponent with a series of quick stinging slaps to the chest and a steady push forward.
I love sumo Ive studied it, but this is the first time theyve come to Indonesia and its the first time Ive seen it live, said Julyana Antika, a 22-year-old student of Japanese literature at a Jakarta university who was attending the weekend competition.
Antika accompanied by a dozen Japanese exchange students from Takushoku University in Tokyo is just one of many young Indonesians who are increasingly consuming Japanese culture through entertainment, comics, fashion and food.
With money from her part-time job as a Japanese-Indonesian translator, Antika buys Japanese magazines, watches Japanese cartoons, uses a Panasonic digital camera and a Sony mobile phone.
The Indonesians are late to the party Japanese culture was embraced in the West in the 1970s and 1980s. But the recent boom in Southeast Asias top economy and corporate Japans hunt for new markets to exploit have combined to create a surge in interest.
Two years ago, when I first came to Indonesia, we had around 1,000 Japanese businesspeople coming to us for Indonesian market advice, said Kenichi Tomiyoshi, chief of the Japan External Trade Organizations Indonesian operations.
But in the past 12 months, weve already advised 4,000, he said, adding that it was hard to keep up.
Japanese firms are flooding the worlds most populous Muslim-majority nation as it rides a wave of prosperity that has produced an army of new consumers.
While growth has slowed this year, Indonesia remains a bright spot in the worlds gloomy economic landscape.
For one thing, it boasts a young population more than 40 percent are estimated to be 24 or under the kind of demographic sought by companies looking for new growth to offset the saturated markets in Japan, which are stuck with a rapidly graying population and an economy struggling to pull itself out of chronic deflation.And as diplomatic tensions soar with its neighbors and key trade partners South Korea and China, Japan has shifted its focus to Southeast Asia in general.
Japans direct investment in Indonesia is a testament to the uptick in interest, having ballooned to $2.5 billion last year from $712.6 million in 2010, according to the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board.
Five years ago, most Indonesian people couldnt buy Japanese goods, but now they have enough income to buy high-quality Japanese products, said Tomiyoshi.
An array of Japanese cultural events such as the Toyota-sponsored sumo tournament is also being staged to lend soft-power support to Tokyos corporate push into the region.
This week, for instance, a large anime festival will take place in Jakarta.
Cry uncle: A sumo wrestler playfully holds up two young boys during an exhibition in Jakarta on Aug. 24. | AFP-JIJI
Tokyo is also involved in such efforts, with the government backing the sumo showcase as an event to mark 55 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan.
Many top-ranked sumo wrestlers from the makuuchi division, the highest in the sport, entered the ring for the tournament, which was the first to be held in one of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nation member states and in an Islamic country.
As more companies arrive from Tokyo to set up shop and the number of cultural events multiply, enthusiasm for all things Japanese is growing among Indonesians.
Many are even signing up to learn the Japanese language, with more than 870,000 taking lessons last year, up from some 700,000 in 2009, according to the Jakarta branch of the Japan Foundation, the countrys main body for promoting Japanese culture overseas.
It was once hard to find Japanese cuisine in Indonesia, but sushi bars and Japanese restaurants now abound in major cities.
Even local companies with no links to Japan are capitalizing on the frenzy.
Metrox Group a company owned by an Indonesian and a Singaporean launched its own Japan-inspired streetwear brand, Wakai Raifusutairu (meaning young lifestyle in Japanese) and uses kanji in part of its name.
The company, which also distributes such brands as Timberland and Crocs, hired a Japanese designer to create the main product, a colorful array of slip-on canvas shoes, some adorned with Japanese prints.
In terms of sales, we initially thought wed break even in 10 months, but we did it in three, said Matrox Group brand manager Alice Dwiyani.
Japanese culture grips Indonesia as firms flood in | The Japan Times
Video:
Japan influence grips Indonesia as companies flood in - YouTube
JakJapan Matsuri opens on high note
The Jakarta Post | Jakarta | Tue, September 03 2013, 11:47 AM
Fish fight: Indonesian chefs participate in a sushi competition at the opening of the 2013 JakJapan Matsuri cultural festival in Kuningan, South Jakarta. The festival, which runs until Sept. 8, celebrates the 55th anniversary of Indonesias bilateral ties with Japan. JP/Wendra Ajistyatama
The fifth Jakarta-Japan (JakJapan) Matsuri (Japanese for festival) kicked off on Sunday with musical performances by artists from both countries.
Visitors could see and hear the fusion of the musical traditions of Indonesia and Japan, which are marking their 55th year of diplomatic relations, during the opening ceremony held at JS Luwansa hotel. The festival opened with a performance of one of the capital citys signature dances, Lenggang Jakarta.
The Japanese musical duo Nao Goto, who plays the flute, and Miki Goto, who plays the koto (Japanese harp), sang Nona Manis Siapa yang Punya (Who has the Sweet Girl) from Maluku, the revolutionary song Halo Halo Bandung and Japanese pop tunes, including Sakura (Cherry Blossom) and Furusato (Hometown).
The event also featured performances from Sing Out Asia, an a cappella group comprised of young people from three countries Japan, Thailand and Indonesia and Enjuku, a Japanese-language theater troupe made up of students from 20 universities across Jakarta.
Japanese visitor Naoki Sakiyama, who was on a multi-day trip to Jakarta, said that he was amazed with the festival.
I have never been to this kind of festival before in Japan. Its very interesting and fun, he said.
Sakiyama said he really enjoyed the performances, especially by Sing Out Asia, which sang several songs, including the Betawi tune Kicir Kicir.
The group consists of young people from three countries. Its very rare, he said, adding that it could be good for the diplomatic relationships among the countries.
A Sushi chef competition called Sushi Battle and a song-and-dance performance by girl band JKT 48 rounded out the opening ceremony.
Festival attendee Resta, a 24-year-old accountant, said she was glad the festival was being held again in Jakarta. I have loved watching Japanese series and films since I was young, she said.
Resta, who wants to go on vacation to Japan one day, said she would also be attending the closing ceremony of the festival at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta next Sunday.
The director of information and culture at the Japanese Embassy, Kenichi Takeyama, said the JakJapan organizing committee had put more hues of Jakartan and Indonesian culture into the festival than were in last years.
Jokowi [Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo] suggested we embed more Jakartan culture into the festival, as it was not only a festival about Japan but also about Jakarta, he said.
Takeyama, who was also the JakJapan committees secretariat general, said he hoped the number of visitors would increase from last year, when up to 35,000 attended the closing ceremony.
JakJapan Matsuri will be held everyday through Sunday, Sept. 8, with various performances.
Events will take place in Plaza Senayan shopping mall from Monday to Saturday, including workshops for making Temari (embroidered hand balls) and Hankie Kinchaku (traditional pouches), music sessions, a Cosplay (costume play) talk show and Taiko (Japanese percussion) performances.
The closing ceremony at Monas will feature several performances, including a Japanese drum art performance, a Doraemon show presentation and pop musical performances from JKT 48 and Agnes Monica.
JP/Corry Elyda
JakJapan Matsuri opens on high note | The Jakarta Post
Indonesia ranks 2nd in learning Japanese language
The Jakarta Post
Publication Date : 15-07-2013
More than 800,000 Indonesians are currently studying the Japanese language, mainly due to the popularity of Japanese pop culture, anime, manga and mouth-watering Japanese cuisine, according to the worldwide Survey on Japanese Language Education Abroad conducted recently by the Japan Foundation.
According to the survey, which is conducted every three years, the total number of people learning Japanese overseas surged to 3,984,538 in 2012, a 9.1 per cent increase from the 3,651,232 in 2009.
China topped the list with 1,046,490 learners, a 26.5 per cent surge from 827,171 learners in 2009.
Indonesia ranked number two in the world with 872, 406 learners in 2012, an increase of 21.8 per cent from the 716,353 learners in 2009.
Indonesia also pushed Korea, whose learners of Japanese declined from 964,014 in 2009 to 840,187 in 2012, into third position.
Indonesia [ ] continued to show a distinct rise, especially in the number of high school students. Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia have designated Japanese as an elective foreign language in secondary education, the Japan Foundation said in a press release last week.
According to Indonesias Ministry of Education and Culture, there are currently around 8 million senior high school students in the country. That means more than 10 per cent of Indonesian senior high school students are learning Japanese in their schools.
Over the years, there has also been a major shift among Indonesians learning Japanese.
In the 1980s, adults such as company employees or university students used to study the Japanese language. It used to be a big challenge to teach Japanese in those days. But now more and more young Indonesians are learning Japanese. Its easy to teach Japanese as these people are really motivated to learn Japanese, Fukuda Kentaro, a native Japanese-language teacher who teaches at the Ikuzo Language centre in Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday by telephone.
Why are young Indonesians showing such an interest in the Japanese language?
Im learning Japanese because ever since I was a kid I really liked Japanese culture and artwork. Actually I started to learn Japanese because I wanted to watch anime and read original Japanese manga without any translations. But now Im aiming to get a scholarship to study in Japan so Im trying my best in studying Japanese, Carine Steven Nagara, a Grade X student at Taman Rama School in Denpasar, told the Post in an email interview.
Carine spends roughly 900,000 rupiah (US$90) on Japanese books and language lessons per month. She has also taken up Japanese as a subject at her school.
I usually spend two hours each day to study or read something that is related to Japan, Carine said.
Another student from Jakarta also expressed a similar view.
I love Japan, and I want to learn more about their people and culture. By learning their language first I can easily communicate with Japanese people and understand, Floren Anastasia, a 15-year-old student at Bina Bangsa School in Jakarta, said.
Like Carine, Floren spends some 7 million rupiah on Japanese lessons, food, clothes and things related to Japanese culture per year. She also wants to study in Japan in the future.
Indonesia ranks 2nd in learning Japanese language - ANN
Japanese culture grips Indonesia as firms flood in
by Angela Dewan
AFP-JIJI
Sep 1, 2013
Two on one: A Japanese sumo teacher engages in a mock match with two children during an exhibition before a two-day sumo tournament in Jakarta on Aug. 24. | AFP-JIJI
In front of thousands, two sumo wrestlers charged at each other with full force, their bodies colliding with a tremendous smack that echoed through the arena in Indonesias capital, Jakarta.
The first official sumo tournament to be held outside Japan in five years saw wrestler Kotoyuki gain an early advantage against his opponent with a series of quick stinging slaps to the chest and a steady push forward.
I love sumo Ive studied it, but this is the first time theyve come to Indonesia and its the first time Ive seen it live, said Julyana Antika, a 22-year-old student of Japanese literature at a Jakarta university who was attending the weekend competition.
Antika accompanied by a dozen Japanese exchange students from Takushoku University in Tokyo is just one of many young Indonesians who are increasingly consuming Japanese culture through entertainment, comics, fashion and food.
With money from her part-time job as a Japanese-Indonesian translator, Antika buys Japanese magazines, watches Japanese cartoons, uses a Panasonic digital camera and a Sony mobile phone.
The Indonesians are late to the party Japanese culture was embraced in the West in the 1970s and 1980s. But the recent boom in Southeast Asias top economy and corporate Japans hunt for new markets to exploit have combined to create a surge in interest.
Two years ago, when I first came to Indonesia, we had around 1,000 Japanese businesspeople coming to us for Indonesian market advice, said Kenichi Tomiyoshi, chief of the Japan External Trade Organizations Indonesian operations.
But in the past 12 months, weve already advised 4,000, he said, adding that it was hard to keep up.
Japanese firms are flooding the worlds most populous Muslim-majority nation as it rides a wave of prosperity that has produced an army of new consumers.
While growth has slowed this year, Indonesia remains a bright spot in the worlds gloomy economic landscape.
For one thing, it boasts a young population more than 40 percent are estimated to be 24 or under the kind of demographic sought by companies looking for new growth to offset the saturated markets in Japan, which are stuck with a rapidly graying population and an economy struggling to pull itself out of chronic deflation.And as diplomatic tensions soar with its neighbors and key trade partners South Korea and China, Japan has shifted its focus to Southeast Asia in general.
Japans direct investment in Indonesia is a testament to the uptick in interest, having ballooned to $2.5 billion last year from $712.6 million in 2010, according to the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board.
Five years ago, most Indonesian people couldnt buy Japanese goods, but now they have enough income to buy high-quality Japanese products, said Tomiyoshi.
An array of Japanese cultural events such as the Toyota-sponsored sumo tournament is also being staged to lend soft-power support to Tokyos corporate push into the region.
This week, for instance, a large anime festival will take place in Jakarta.
Cry uncle: A sumo wrestler playfully holds up two young boys during an exhibition in Jakarta on Aug. 24. | AFP-JIJI
Tokyo is also involved in such efforts, with the government backing the sumo showcase as an event to mark 55 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan.
Many top-ranked sumo wrestlers from the makuuchi division, the highest in the sport, entered the ring for the tournament, which was the first to be held in one of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nation member states and in an Islamic country.
As more companies arrive from Tokyo to set up shop and the number of cultural events multiply, enthusiasm for all things Japanese is growing among Indonesians.
Many are even signing up to learn the Japanese language, with more than 870,000 taking lessons last year, up from some 700,000 in 2009, according to the Jakarta branch of the Japan Foundation, the countrys main body for promoting Japanese culture overseas.
It was once hard to find Japanese cuisine in Indonesia, but sushi bars and Japanese restaurants now abound in major cities.
Even local companies with no links to Japan are capitalizing on the frenzy.
Metrox Group a company owned by an Indonesian and a Singaporean launched its own Japan-inspired streetwear brand, Wakai Raifusutairu (meaning young lifestyle in Japanese) and uses kanji in part of its name.
The company, which also distributes such brands as Timberland and Crocs, hired a Japanese designer to create the main product, a colorful array of slip-on canvas shoes, some adorned with Japanese prints.
In terms of sales, we initially thought wed break even in 10 months, but we did it in three, said Matrox Group brand manager Alice Dwiyani.
Japanese culture grips Indonesia as firms flood in | The Japan Times
Video:
Japan influence grips Indonesia as companies flood in - YouTube
JakJapan Matsuri opens on high note
The Jakarta Post | Jakarta | Tue, September 03 2013, 11:47 AM
Fish fight: Indonesian chefs participate in a sushi competition at the opening of the 2013 JakJapan Matsuri cultural festival in Kuningan, South Jakarta. The festival, which runs until Sept. 8, celebrates the 55th anniversary of Indonesias bilateral ties with Japan. JP/Wendra Ajistyatama
The fifth Jakarta-Japan (JakJapan) Matsuri (Japanese for festival) kicked off on Sunday with musical performances by artists from both countries.
Visitors could see and hear the fusion of the musical traditions of Indonesia and Japan, which are marking their 55th year of diplomatic relations, during the opening ceremony held at JS Luwansa hotel. The festival opened with a performance of one of the capital citys signature dances, Lenggang Jakarta.
The Japanese musical duo Nao Goto, who plays the flute, and Miki Goto, who plays the koto (Japanese harp), sang Nona Manis Siapa yang Punya (Who has the Sweet Girl) from Maluku, the revolutionary song Halo Halo Bandung and Japanese pop tunes, including Sakura (Cherry Blossom) and Furusato (Hometown).
The event also featured performances from Sing Out Asia, an a cappella group comprised of young people from three countries Japan, Thailand and Indonesia and Enjuku, a Japanese-language theater troupe made up of students from 20 universities across Jakarta.
Japanese visitor Naoki Sakiyama, who was on a multi-day trip to Jakarta, said that he was amazed with the festival.
I have never been to this kind of festival before in Japan. Its very interesting and fun, he said.
Sakiyama said he really enjoyed the performances, especially by Sing Out Asia, which sang several songs, including the Betawi tune Kicir Kicir.
The group consists of young people from three countries. Its very rare, he said, adding that it could be good for the diplomatic relationships among the countries.
A Sushi chef competition called Sushi Battle and a song-and-dance performance by girl band JKT 48 rounded out the opening ceremony.
Festival attendee Resta, a 24-year-old accountant, said she was glad the festival was being held again in Jakarta. I have loved watching Japanese series and films since I was young, she said.
Resta, who wants to go on vacation to Japan one day, said she would also be attending the closing ceremony of the festival at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta next Sunday.
The director of information and culture at the Japanese Embassy, Kenichi Takeyama, said the JakJapan organizing committee had put more hues of Jakartan and Indonesian culture into the festival than were in last years.
Jokowi [Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo] suggested we embed more Jakartan culture into the festival, as it was not only a festival about Japan but also about Jakarta, he said.
Takeyama, who was also the JakJapan committees secretariat general, said he hoped the number of visitors would increase from last year, when up to 35,000 attended the closing ceremony.
JakJapan Matsuri will be held everyday through Sunday, Sept. 8, with various performances.
Events will take place in Plaza Senayan shopping mall from Monday to Saturday, including workshops for making Temari (embroidered hand balls) and Hankie Kinchaku (traditional pouches), music sessions, a Cosplay (costume play) talk show and Taiko (Japanese percussion) performances.
The closing ceremony at Monas will feature several performances, including a Japanese drum art performance, a Doraemon show presentation and pop musical performances from JKT 48 and Agnes Monica.
JP/Corry Elyda
JakJapan Matsuri opens on high note | The Jakarta Post
Indonesia ranks 2nd in learning Japanese language
The Jakarta Post
Publication Date : 15-07-2013
More than 800,000 Indonesians are currently studying the Japanese language, mainly due to the popularity of Japanese pop culture, anime, manga and mouth-watering Japanese cuisine, according to the worldwide Survey on Japanese Language Education Abroad conducted recently by the Japan Foundation.
According to the survey, which is conducted every three years, the total number of people learning Japanese overseas surged to 3,984,538 in 2012, a 9.1 per cent increase from the 3,651,232 in 2009.
China topped the list with 1,046,490 learners, a 26.5 per cent surge from 827,171 learners in 2009.
Indonesia ranked number two in the world with 872, 406 learners in 2012, an increase of 21.8 per cent from the 716,353 learners in 2009.
Indonesia also pushed Korea, whose learners of Japanese declined from 964,014 in 2009 to 840,187 in 2012, into third position.
Indonesia [ ] continued to show a distinct rise, especially in the number of high school students. Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia have designated Japanese as an elective foreign language in secondary education, the Japan Foundation said in a press release last week.
According to Indonesias Ministry of Education and Culture, there are currently around 8 million senior high school students in the country. That means more than 10 per cent of Indonesian senior high school students are learning Japanese in their schools.
Over the years, there has also been a major shift among Indonesians learning Japanese.
In the 1980s, adults such as company employees or university students used to study the Japanese language. It used to be a big challenge to teach Japanese in those days. But now more and more young Indonesians are learning Japanese. Its easy to teach Japanese as these people are really motivated to learn Japanese, Fukuda Kentaro, a native Japanese-language teacher who teaches at the Ikuzo Language centre in Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday by telephone.
Why are young Indonesians showing such an interest in the Japanese language?
Im learning Japanese because ever since I was a kid I really liked Japanese culture and artwork. Actually I started to learn Japanese because I wanted to watch anime and read original Japanese manga without any translations. But now Im aiming to get a scholarship to study in Japan so Im trying my best in studying Japanese, Carine Steven Nagara, a Grade X student at Taman Rama School in Denpasar, told the Post in an email interview.
Carine spends roughly 900,000 rupiah (US$90) on Japanese books and language lessons per month. She has also taken up Japanese as a subject at her school.
I usually spend two hours each day to study or read something that is related to Japan, Carine said.
Another student from Jakarta also expressed a similar view.
I love Japan, and I want to learn more about their people and culture. By learning their language first I can easily communicate with Japanese people and understand, Floren Anastasia, a 15-year-old student at Bina Bangsa School in Jakarta, said.
Like Carine, Floren spends some 7 million rupiah on Japanese lessons, food, clothes and things related to Japanese culture per year. She also wants to study in Japan in the future.
Indonesia ranks 2nd in learning Japanese language - ANN
Wong Jowo kyknya sih mas. Ora nama panjangya koyak gini toh:
