REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Industry Ministry has targeted Japan as a potential investor to establish battery manufacturing plant in Indonesia. It was considered important in a bid to accelerate development of the country's electric vehicles.

"Earlier, I had urged investors from Korea and other countries. Now, we hope that Japan would invest in the sector that we need to develop electric cars," Harjanto, the ministry's Director General of Metal, Machinery, Transportation, and Electronic Industry, noted in a statement here on Wednesday.

According to Harjanto, Japan is a potential investor, with its advanced technology in the industry.

"In Morowali (Central Sulawesi), we have an investor to produce raw material for battery, which is expected to start production within the next 16 months. Next, we encourage the development of battery plant," he added.