Jakarta, April 17 -- Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin held talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi in Japan to explore cooperation opportunities after visiting the Pentagon in Washington, the United States.

Head of the Information Bureau at Indonesia's Defense Ministry Brig. Gen. Rico Ricardo Sirait told ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday that the meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral defense ties.

"Maritime defense was particularly addressed in the discussion. The two countries voiced commitments to pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation tailored to their needs and priorities," he said.

Sirait did not divulge further details of the meeting but assured that Indonesia would benefit from the resulting joint project...