Jakarta (ANTARA) – Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that the Indonesian and Japanese governments have agreed to promote more concrete bilateral collaboration in the forestry and climate sectors.The agreement covers a wide range of initiatives, from sustainable forest management to carbon trading and wildlife conservation.”The meeting discussed strengthening cooperation in forestry, carbon investment, and wildlife conservation, including Komodo dragons,” Antoni said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.He also said that the collaboration is aimed at strengthening conservation areas, knowledge exchange, and private sector involvement in the carbon economy.“Indonesia is opening investment opportunities through the Carbon Economic Value (NEK) scheme and voluntary carbon trading,” Antoni added.In a meeting with Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Suzuki Norikazu, Japan affirmed Indonesia as a strategic partner in the forestry sector.Support is also provided through projects implemented with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the deployment of Japanese experts to support mangrove management.Antoni also encouraged the enhancement of collaboration through the development of the World Mangrove Center and the implementation of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) scheme.”The initiative is expected to become a global bridge for rehabilitation, research, education, and innovation in mangrove ecosystem management, as well as serve as an international reference for nature-based climate change mitigation and adaptation,” the minister said.Meanwhile, in a meeting with Japanese Minister of the Environment Ishihara Hirotaka, he discussed strengthening conservation cooperation, including the Komodo dragon breeding loan program in collaboration with Shizuoka Prefecture.One highlight was the plan to send Komodo dragons to Japan, a move that is expected to be highly attractive to the local community.Antoni also proposed a sister park collaboration between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and national parks in Indonesia to strengthen conservation area management.Furthermore, in a meeting with Japanese Minister for Growth Strategy Minoru Kiuchi, the two countries discussed strengthening broader forestry and conservation cooperation.”Both parties are also encouraging the acceleration of carbon cooperation through the JCM scheme and strengthening collaboration between national parks,” Antoni said.