Masaki Yasushi, the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, has shown interest in the free nutritious meal program for students proposed by the future president of Indonesia for 2024-2029, Prabowo Subianto. Yasushi emphasized the significance of the program and mentioned that the Japanese government plans to invite the Indonesian government to discuss it in September 2024.
Japan has had a free school lunch program for over 100 years, which was initially established to improve children’s nutrition post-war. Yasushi stated that this program has been beneficial for low-income families in providing nutritious meals. Japan is willing to support Indonesia by sharing its experiences in implementing free school lunches, focusing on educating children about food and nutrition.
Prabowo and the future vice-president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, have announced the free nutritious meal program as one of their main initiatives. The program is scheduled to commence in 2025 and will be rolled out in phases.
