Thirteen delegates from the Indonesia National Wage Council consisting of officials from the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia, representatives of the National Wage Council, and functional officials of the Industrial Relations Mediator visited the APO Secretariat on 13 November. The delegation was in Tokyo as part of a comparative study mission on minimum wage regulations and productivity-based wage structures and scales facilitate by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), represented by JICA Labour Policy Advisor Koh Yamada.

APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata warmly welcomed the delegates to the Secretariat, acknowledging the critical goal of their visit to gather insights and develop actionable strategies for enhancing wage policies in Indonesia inspired by Japanese practices. He emphasized that the session was specifically designed to address the delegates’ interests and encouraged mutual interactions throughout.

Delegate Head Decky Haeder Ulum, Director of Worker’s Social Security, delivered remarks on behalf of the delegation and expressed gratitude to Secretary-General Dr. Indra and the Secretariat for hosting the meeting. He emphasized the significance of the mission, noting that Indonesia’s Wage Council was currently exploring a new wage formula to revise the existing structure, as mandated by a recent Constitutional Court decision.

The APO Secretariat provided a presentation with an organizational overview, the APO’s mission, and key roles, and then on the productivity-based wage system (PBWS), including potential support by the APO in this area for Indonesia. Counsellor Hideyuki Ezaki of the Japan Productivity Center then explained wages and productivity in Japan, touching upon its unique minimum wage system. Extensive discussions between the delegation and presenters followed.

Closing remarks were delivered by National Wages Council Member Sarman Simanjorang, Vice Chairman of Regional Autonomy Development, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN). He expressed appreciation to Counsellor Ezaki, Secretary-General Dr. Indra, and APO Secretariat staff for their insightful presentations. Council Member Sarman highlighted the importance of the study mission to Japan in exploring various wage systems and policies, appreciated the information and insights shared during the session, and expressed hope for continued support from the APO on this issue.