Indonesia Gives Japan US$2 Mln for Disaster Relief Effort

Indonesia donated 2 million U.S. dollars to help Japan cope with the impacts of the recent earthquakes and tsunami, the Jakartapost.com quoted a minister as saying on Thursday.

"The government may donate more aid to Japan later during the construction phase," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said in Jakarta on Wednesday night during a joint press conference with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Makiko Kikuta.

Kikuta is in the country to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief in Manado of North Sulawesi province and the Metropolitan Priority Area meeting in Jakarta.

Kikuta said the disaster would not affect bilateral relations between the two countries, including the strategic partnership such as Japan's plan to provide loans for coal power plants and infrastructure in Indonesia.