MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – The Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Masaki Yasushi, paid his first official visit outside of Jakarta to Muhammadiyah on Wednesday (June 26). This visit aimed to strengthen ties between the Japanese government and Muhammadiyah.
Yasushi acknowledged the long history of successful cooperation between the two parties, mentioning a past program that young Muhammadiyah members visited Japan to learn about its culture and development.
“We hope that we can enhance the collaboration between Muhammadiyah and Japan, particularly in education,” said Yasushi.
Beyond education, Yasushi also brought up Japan’s concern about the situation in Palestine and the Middle East. He was interested in Muhammadiyah perspective on how Islam is developing globally and within Indonesia.
“Some people in Japan have questions about how Islamic moderation combats religious radicalism and extremism,” said Yasushi.
Responding to Yasushi, President of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir clarified that extremism and radicalism exist not only within religion but also various aspects of life, while acknowledging that a small minority of Muslims may hold extreme views and resort to violence.
“Negative global political situations, like the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, can trigger extremist views as people react strongly to these events,” said Haedar.
He emphasized that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is about freedom, not religion.
Haedar also addressed the issue of Islamophobia in the West, mentioning examples like the burning of the Quran by some public figures, which understandably provokes strong reactions from Muslims.
“Such reactions are not extremism but a defense of their religion. Extremism, radicalism, and terrorism are complex issues,” said Haedar.
Furthermore, Secretary of Muhammadiyah Muhammad Sayuti highlighted that Islam in Indonesia is generally moderate.
Muhammadiyah’s efforts to promote true religious moderation, emphasizing that the positive contributions of religious communities far outweigh negative stereotypes.
To give the Ambassador a firsthand look at Islam in Indonesia, Haedar invited Yasushi to visit Muhammadiyah educational institutions, especially in Eastern Indonesia. He suggested that this visit would show how Muhammadiyah becomes a model for religious moderation and community development in a society with diverse beliefs.
