ZHANG:
Also in Jakarta, the Indonesia-Japan Expo 2008 kicked off on Saturday. The expo commemorates 50 years of bilateral ties and friendship between the two countries. Let’s take a look.

STORY:
Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Japan’s former prime minister, Yasuo Fukuda, officially opened the festivities.

President Yudhoyono hopes that the cooperation between Indonesia and Japan will continue. He says the two nations could help solve the current economic crisis.

[Susilo Yudhoyono, Indonesian President]:
“Currently, the world is having a global economic crisis. I hope Japan, as the 2nd biggest economic country in the world, and Indonesia as the biggest economically developed country in southeast Asia, will contribute to solve this crisis, including the reformation of the global economy system. This cooperation is important for us, to facilitate regional stability and international peace.”

Cultural and music performances as well as trade displays are all part of the expo.

And to show how deep the relationship between Indonesia and Japan has grown in 50 years a mixture of Indonesian dance and Japanese music was showcased.

The expo finishes runs through Sunday.

NTD, Jakarta, Indonesia.