Finance Minister Hikaru Matsunaga departs today for a meeting Saturday in London of the finance ministers and central bankers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations that is expected to focus on measures to contain the ongoing economic turmoil in Asia.
The G-7 members -- Japan, the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada -- are also to discuss the state of their respective economies. The upcoming gathering comes at a time when Indonesia in particular is still battling market forces to support its rupiah and stabilize the domestic economy.
Matsunaga leaves for London prepared to offer Jakarta additional bilateral assistance measures, including loans from the Japan Export-Import Bank and the utilization of trade insurance to bolster Indonesia's trade.