The Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Indonesia for an Economic Partnership was signed in Jakarta on 20 August 2007, in duplicate, the authentic text in English. Signatories: Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia, at Istana Negara. Article 153: entry into force on the thirtieth day after the exchange of diplomatic notes confirming completion of internal procedures — the notes were exchanged in Tokyo on 1 June 2008, and the agreement took effect on 1 July 2008. It is not the 2003 Japan–ASEAN framework, nor AJCEP.

The preamble recalls the long-standing friendship, Article XXIV of GATT 1994, Article V of GATS and the Framework for Comprehensive Economic Partnership between Japan and ASEAN, signed in Bali on 8 October 2003. Article 1: the objectives are a legal framework for liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment, cooperation and economic efficiency — without tariff schedules.

The 15 chapters and 154 articles cover, at a high level, goods, origin, customs, investment, services, movement of natural persons, energy and mineral resources, intellectual property, government procurement, competition, the business environment, cooperation, dispute settlement and final provisions. Article 13 provides for an implementing agreement; Article 14 establishes a Joint Committee.

Article 151: a general review in the fifth calendar year after the year of entry into force and every five years thereafter, unless the Parties agree otherwise. Article 152: amendments are approved under internal procedures, except origin annexes, which may be changed by diplomatic notes. Article 154: termination on one year’s written notice.

Japan’s Diet approved the treaty on 17 April 2008; Indonesia ratified it by Presidential Regulation No. 36 of 2008, issued in Jakarta on 19 May 2008. The official text consulted is that of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the register fact-sheet. It was Indonesia’s first bilateral free-trade agreement.

Cover: Istana Negara in Jakarta, the signing venue; we do not claim the hall. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: Indonesia–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement; Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Indonesia for an Economic Partnership.