"Pesantren" great asset of Indonesian culture, says Japanese ambassador

The traditional Muslim school (Pesantren) is a great asset that has enriched and diversified the Indonesian culture, Japanese Ambassador Kojiro Shiojiri said on Thursday.

In a press release received by ANTARA here on Thursday Kojiro Shiojiri said he was proud of and appreciated the presence of Pesantren as a symbol of Islamic culture which is part of Indonesian characteristics.

"Pesantren makes the Indonesian culture rich and diversified," he said.

With regard to Indonesian culture, Pesantren is a unique phenomenon. In the late Abdurrahman Wahid`s language, Pesantren is a sub-culture of the Indonesian culture which is heterogeneous.

Therefore, after following a series of trips to Pesantrens in the two last years, he admitted that Pesantrens are an important factor in the Indonesian culture.

"We have a priority program to maintain our relationship with Pesantren communities. Besides visits, we have carried out various partnership programs for pesantren comunities," he said.

Kojiro Shiojiri added, after making some examination on the existence of Pesantren he could understand that the Indonesian culture is extremely varied.

"We want to learn from Indonesia especially about its culture which is vast and deep," he said.

A strong commitment from Kojiro Shiojiri to studying the Indonesian culture particularly Pesantren makes him welcome well by Pesantren communities.

Annually the Japanese embassy sends Islamic religious teachers of Pesantrens to Japan to further strengthen the partnership with Pesantren communities.

According to him, that program could become one of important factors that would strengthen the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Japan in the future.

" Indonesia and Japan are two friendly countries which are complementary. We should strengthen the cooperation between our countries for our common interest in the future," Kojiro Shiojiri said.