Tokyo (Kemenag) --- The Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Kholil Qoumas expressed his hope that the cooperation between Indonesia and Japan Halal Product Assurance (JPH) could increase exports of Indonesian halal products to Japan. This is because the Minister sees that Japan has great attention to the development of Muslim-friendly tourism, even though the Japanese Muslim population is classified as a minority.

"Seeing the great attention and efforts of Japan in developing Muslim-friendly tourism, as well as Indonesia's support in strengthening the halal ecosystem at the global level, I think it would be very good if Indonesian halal products were exported and marketed in Japan," said the Minister of Religion during his working visit at Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Tokyo, Tuesday (11/7/2023).

The Minister also said that this hope was in line with the good relations between Indonesia and Japan which had existed for a long time. The two countries have also partnered in various fields on a mutually beneficial basis. Halal product trade cooperation will certainly strengthen bilateral synergies between the two countries. Moreover, he continued, the concept of halal in Japan is not a new thing. The concept of halal is very close to the lifestyle of Japanese people who always pay attention to the products they consume.

"Halal in Japan is not a matter of religion, but a matter of lifestyle. Japanese people are very concerned about what they consume. That's why people in Japan live long." the Minister of Religion added.

The Minister also said that the need for halal products in the Japanese market was dominated by food and beverage products. In 2020, the trade value of Indonesian halal food and beverage products to Japan will reach IDR 20 billion.

"The potential for exporting Indonesian halal products to Japan is still open and we must take advantage of this. Moreover, this effort is in line with Indonesia's aspirations as proclaimed by the President and Vice President, that Indonesia will become the largest producer of halal products in the world in 2024." he said.

"Therefore, cooperation between Indonesia and Japan, especially in the field of Halal Product Assurance (JPH), which is currently under process, must be accelerated according to existing regulations. So, cooperation on halal products can immediately bring benefits and benefits to both countries." added the Minister.

The Head of the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Body or BPJPH of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muhammad Aqil Irham, said that currently there are 4 Overseas Halal Institutions or Lembaga Halal Luar Negeri (LHLN) from Japan that have submitted applications for Halal Product Assurance cooperation with the Indonesian government through BPJPH. Among them, the Japan Islamic Trust (JIT), the Japan Muslim Association (JMA), the Japan Muslim Professional Association, and the NPO Japan Halal Association.

"Of the four foreign halal institutions, two of them, namely the Japan Islamic Trust and the Japan Muslim Association, are ready to be assessed for accreditation," said Aqil.

The LHLN accreditation, he continued, was carried out in the context of mutual acceptance and mutual recognition of halal certificates. If this mutual recognition agreement has been established, then between the two countries there will be no more obstacles in the trade of halal products.

"This accreditation is carried out in the context of recognition and mutual acceptance of halal certificates through a Mutual Recognition Agreement or MRA. With the MRA, halal certificates from Japan are automatically recognized in Indonesia, and vice versa." said Aqil explaining.

"The mutual recognition of halal certificates will of course facilitate trade activities for halal products between the two countries." he added.

The meeting were attended by the Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Japan John Tjahjanto Boestami, Secretary of BPJPH EA Chuzaemi Abidin, Chairman of the Japan Islamic Trust (JIT) Haroon, and Vice President of the Japan Muslim Association (JMA) Saeed Y Sato. []