Jakarta. Former trade minister Rachmat Gobel has spent decades strengthening ties between Indonesia and Japan, building on a relationship spanning business, education, diplomacy, and politics.

Gobel's connection with Japan began with his studies at Chuo University in Tokyo, where he majored in international trade. He later continued a business partnership established by his father, Thayeb Mohammad Gobel, with Japanese electronics giant Panasonic.

The Panasonic-Gobel partnership dates back to 1960, making it one of the longest-running industrial collaborations between Indonesian and Japanese companies. Rachmat later held leadership positions in the businesses developed through the partnership.

His involvement eventually expanded beyond business. In 2006, Gobel was appointed president of the Indonesia-Japan Friendship Association, further strengthening his role in bilateral relations between the two countries.

In August 2025, Gobel initiated the Indonesia-Japan Executive Dialogue, which brought together senior officials and business executives from more than 55 Japanese companies to discuss investment, industrial development, supply chains, and human resource development.

The initiative came as Indonesia sought to attract more Japanese investment amid growing competition among Southeast Asian economies for foreign capital.

Japan has long been one of Indonesia's major sources of foreign investment and a key partner in infrastructure, manufacturing, automotive, and energy development. Japan has long been one of Indonesia's major economic partners. Japanese investment in Indonesia reached $17.1 billion between 2021 and 2025, growing by an annual average of 13.2% and creating nearly 279,000 jobs, according to the Investment Ministry. Japan ranked as Indonesia's fifth-largest foreign investor.

Gobel has also continued to promote bilateral cooperation through parliament. As chairman of the House of Representatives' Indonesia-Japan Bilateral Cooperation Group, he has advocated greater Japanese involvement in Indonesia, including support for development in the country's eastern regions.

His decades-long involvement across business, bilateral organizations, and parliamentary diplomacy has made him a prominent figure in Indonesia-Japan relations.

Gobel died at around 3 a.m. Jakarta time on Friday and will be laid to rest in his hometown of Gorontalo.

Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani remembered Gobel as an extraordinary figure who made significant contributions across various fields.

"We have lost an extraordinary figure, and I am sure we can all agree that he was a genuinely good person. In so many ways, he was truly remarkable," Rosan said.

Former Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, who succeeded Gobel in the post, said he was shocked by the death of a longtime friend whom he had known closely since their years as fellow businessmen.

"He was known as a humble and kind person. We even joked that he was too kind for politics because he was always courteous and highly accommodating," Enggartiasto said.

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