Indonesia proposes pencak silat as sports diplomacy tool with Japan

Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir has proposed using the traditional martial art of pencak silat as a tool for sports diplomacy to strengthen ties between Indonesia and Japan. Speaking at the official residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Thohir emphasized that sports cooperation can foster direct people-to-people connections beyond government-level interactions.

Discussions regarding sports cooperation have previously involved the Indonesian Olympic Committee and Japan's ministry overseeing youth and sports. In addition to pencak silat, fencing has been identified as a potential area for collaboration. Thohir expressed interest in concrete programs, such as youth and sports exchanges, and noted that Indonesia could benefit from Japan's extensive experience in hosting major international events like the Summer Olympics and the Asian Games.