Tokyo – The Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Masaki Yasushi, has shown interest in the initiative proposed by the elected president for 2024-2029, Prabowo Subianto, to provide free nutritious meals for students.
Yasushi emphasized the significance of the free nutritious meal program and mentioned that the Japanese government plans to invite Indonesian officials to Japan in September 2024 to discuss the program.
“We will invite the Indonesian government to Japan specifically to discuss the topic of free school lunches and to exchange ideas on what they can learn from schools in Japan,” Yasushi said in a statement quoted by Antara on Sunday (June 23).
Yasushi explained that Japan has had a free school lunch program for over a century, which was initially introduced to improve children’s nutrition after the war. He also mentioned that the program has been beneficial for low-income families in providing nutritious meals.
The Japanese government is eager to assist Indonesia by sharing its experiences as a country with a successful free school lunch program. One key aspect is educating children about food and nutrition.
“It is essential for children to understand the importance of making healthy food choices and getting proper nutrients every day,” Yasushi elaborated.
“This is something we have implemented to promote nutrition education in schools. It would be very beneficial for the people of Indonesia,” he added.
The free nutritious meal program in schools is one of the main initiatives announced by Prabowo and the elected vice-president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. This program is scheduled to launch in 2025 and will be rolled out in phases.
