REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NAGOYA -- Indonesia should have a Shinkansen high-speed train connecting Jakarta with either Bandung in West Java or with Surabaya in East Java, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said.
He made the statement after taking a ride on a Shinkansen train from Tokyo railway station to Nagoya to visit the Toyota Machimoto car factory on Wednesday, the last day of his visit to Japan.
The ride, which covered a distance of 353 kilometers, took one hour and 40 minutes.
The president affirmed that he will make a decision on introducing a Shinkansen high-speed train in Indonesia this year.
"We will see. We will come to a decision on developing a high-speed train, and on whether to connect Jakarta with Bandung or with Surabaya," he stated.
In response to questions from the press about his experience riding a Shinkansen train, Jokowi just smiled.
"I don't know. I slept. I fell asleep after seeing Mount Fuji," President Jokowi said.
On reaching Nagoya, the head of state and his entourage were welcomed by Governor of Nagoya Aichi and several officials of the region.
At the Toyota factory, the president met seven Indonesians who were there on an apprentice program.
Trade Minister Rachmad Gobel revealed that the visit to Nagoya was part of the president's state programs in Japan. The visit was expected to help boost the automobile company's investment in Indonesia.
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