Tag: Indonesia

  • Jakarta’s airport train to be operational in 2017

    Jakarta’s airport train to be operational in 2017

    Development of rail track between Jakarta’s Manggarai railway station and Soekarno Hatta airport is expected to be completed in 2017.

    “We already coordinated with PT Railink. It is to be completed in February 2017,” President director of the state owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II Budi Karya Sumadi said here on Wednesday.

    PT Railink is a joint venture between PT Angkasa Pura II and state owned railway company, PT Kereta Api Indonesia.

    PT Railink to revamp old track and build new track totaling 38.3 kilometers between the Manggarai railway station in Jakarta and the airport and operate the train.

    Budi said the train would take 54 minutes between Manggarai and Soekarno Hatta airport and there would be departure of train every 15 minutes.

    Everyday there would be 61 trips with a carrying capacity of 35,000 passangers.

  • Direct flights between Indonesia, India likely this year

    Direct flights between Indonesia, India likely this year

    Direct flights between India and Indonesia are likely to begin this year to facilitate tourism, Indonesian ambassador Rizali W. Indrakesuma said on Wednesday.”The Indian government has already given permission; it is a matter of how Indonesia responds. We are hoping that direct flights between the two countries begin by this year or by next year at the latest,” said Indrakesuma said.The first flights both governments plan to launch initially are between Delhi and Jakarta and Mumbai and Bali. Garuda Indonesia and Air India will operate flights between the two countries.

    The ambassador said a deal on the matter could be finalised in March when the transport minister of Indonesia will participate in an event organised by the civil aviation ministry in India.”This is an opportunity for our minister to engage with the Indian civil aviation minister (Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati) at an event organised in Hyderabad in March,” the ambassador said.”The consulate general of Indonesia in Mumbai will push the ministry of tourism to open direct flights for the first time between Delhi and Jakarta and Mumbai and Bali.

    Last year, 262,000 tourists from India visited Indonesia; we expect the figure to go up to 350,000 this year. First it’ll be a government-to-government engagement and later we can engage private airlines,” said Taufik Nurhidayat, deputy director, ministry of tourism, Republic of Indonesia.Indonesia attracts the highest number of tourists from Singapore, followed by Malaysia, Australia, China, Japan, Korea and India.

  • Wuling to Build Factory in Indonesia

    Wuling to Build Factory in Indonesia

    Chinese-bases automotive company PT SAIC General Motor Wuling (SGMW) is preparing investment of US$700 million or around RP9.7 trillion to open up business in Indonesia.

    PT SGMW Motor Indonesia President Feiyun said the company is building its first factory in Indonesia. The factory is located in Greenland International Industrial Center, Cikarang, West Java, and is built on land of 600,000 square meters.

    “Besides factory, the company will also build supplier park,” said Xu Feiyun on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

    The factory is scheduled to begin the operation in 2017 and will become production basis to expand the company’s business to ASEAN countries. The first product that will be launched is multi-purposes vehicle (MPV). “We are optimistic that the people of Indonesian can accept our products,” said Feiyun.

    The factory is also planned to produce 150,000 vehicles per year so that Indonesia will become the main export basis of Wuling vehicles in Southeast Asia. Through this project, SGMW is expected to create 3,000 job fields.

    PT SGMW Motor Indonesia is a part of global expansion of SAIC, General Motors and Wuling Automobile in China. “We will utilize capital, technology and system from stakeholders, SAIC, General Motors and Wuling to give the best services,” said Xu Feiyun.

  • DHL Signs EMS Deal with Pos Indonesia

    DHL Signs EMS Deal with Pos Indonesia

    International logistics service provider DHL Express has signed an addendum to the  cooperation agreement with PT Pos Indonesia (Persero) for an Express Mail Service (EMS) to overseas destinations.

    The agreement was signed on Wednesday, January 20 by DHL Express Indonesia’s senior technical advisor Ahmad Mohamad and PT Pos’ president director Gilarsi Wahyu Setijono.

    The collaboration is aimed at supporting the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia, through the provision of a reliable international express delivery service to more than 220 countries and territories within DHL’s global network; facilitating the growth of SMEs on a global scale.

    The partnership was first developed in 2005, and has since provided significant benefits for SMEs through the opening of access to global markets. Pos Indonesia can learn best practices in handling international express delivery service through this cooperation.

    “The most important thing is that, through this cooperation, Pos Indonesia and DHL Express Indonesia can grow and advance together to serve the people of Indonesia,” Gilarsi said.

  • Peruri expands operation to digital security business area

    Peruri expands operation to digital security business area

    The Indonesia state-owned money printing company Peruri has expanded operation to digital security business area in preparation to enter the era of integrated smart security to be competitive and able to keep pace with the modernization.

    “In order to have greater competitiveness in digital era we are expanding our wings to digital security that we could provide an integrated smart security service,” President Director of Peruri, Prasetio, said here, Thursday.

    The expansion is prompted by the rapid advancing technology that necessitated change in the world economic system that forces Peruri to continue to expand from service to business model, he said.

    “We are not only strengthening our core business of money printing , but we are also expanding operation to digital security business area through our subsidiary Peruri Digital Security by providing solution such as Certificate Authentication and Smart Card,” he said.

    Peruri also has a strategy in entering the era of integrated smart security, which is centered in transformation of company including transformation of human resources, business , structure and system as well as culture, according to him.

    “With the transformation we hope Peruri could continue to chalk up positive growth in the coming years,” he said.

    In a bid to achieve the positive growth, this year Peruri will be focused on market expansion, promoting reputation and strengthening competitiveness, he added.

    The strategic steps include reorientation of market from formerly focused only on domestic market to global market, and restructuring parent and subsidiaries to be more effective in marketing, he said.

    “Another strategic step is reorganization to be in line with the 2016 company budget working plan and long term business road map,” Prasetio said.

    With the strategic steps and preparation made ahead of the era of integrated smart security, the company is set to contribute significantly to the countrys economic development, he said.

    Peruri chalked up around Rp3.051 trillion in income in 2015 or more than doubling income of Rp1.39 trillion in the previous year.

    Its net profit rose to Rp284 billion or an increase of more than ten times from Rp23.49 billion in 2014.

    The company signed a memorandum of understanding to improve synergy with a number of state construction companies including construction companies — Adhi Karya, Amarta Karya, Brantas Abipraya, Hutama Karya, Istaka Karya, Pembangunan Perumahan, Nindya Karya, Perum Perumnas, Waskita Karya and Wijaya Karya.

    It also signed MoU with state-owned telecommunication company to develop digital business.

  • Garuda to launch non-stop Heathrow-Jakarta service

    Garuda to launch non-stop Heathrow-Jakarta service

    Garuda Indonesia has confirmed it’s leaving Gatwick to launch a direct service to Jakarta from Heathrow.

    From March 31, the airline will use its fleet of B777-300ERs to operate a five-times weekly service to the Indonesian capital, an increase from the three-times weekly service it operates from Gatwick.

    Flights to Jakarta will also no-longer stop at Amsterdam, creating the UK’s first non-stop flight to Indonesia.

    Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said the deal shows how important Heathrow is to British business.

    “As the UK’s only hub, Heathrow is able to support regular direct flights to 75 long haul destinations not served by any other UK airport,” said Holland-Kaye.

    “With expansion, we can bring the world to Britain’s doorstep by adding up to 40 more long haul routes to high growth markets and more than doubling the number of UK cities served.”

    Jubi Prasetyo, general manager UK & Ireland said: “Making the move to Heathrow Airport has been an ambition of ours since joining Sky Team in March 2014.

    “Heathrow’s pivotal role in servicing the alliance’s 1,052 destinations makes it an ideal departure airport for our passengers. Flying non-stop direct to Jakarta means we will truly be the most efficient way to reach Indonesia from the UK.”

  • Middle East Eyes Indonesian Beaches

    Middle East Eyes Indonesian Beaches

    Alwi Shihab, the Presidential envoy to the Middle East and the Organization of Islamic Coopeation (OIC), said that several Middle Eastern countries had expressed their interests to develop Indonesian beaches.

    Alwi revealed the Middle Eastern countries planned to build bigger exclusive resorts in order to compete with the famous Maldives.

    “Many Middle Eastern countries want to make bigger [tourist destinations] than Maldives. But they’re having difficulties to find a 300-hectare land,” Alwi said in Bandung on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

    Alwi explained that investors from Middle East wanted to develop accessible beaches, such as Pelabuhan Ratu in Sukabumi, West Java.

    “They want beaches with mounts located near Jakarta. We suggested investing in Sukabumi,” Alwi added.

    Since it was hard to find a sizable land in Pelabuhan Ratu, Alwi proposed other locations outside Java, such as those in Tanjung Lesung, Belitung, Padang, Selayar and Lombok. Alwi revealed that most of the investors were members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

    “Saudi Arabia has invested in Maldives,” Alwi said.

    Alwi explained that the Middle Eastern countries were more than willing to provide fund to develop beaches in Indonesia. The United Arab Emirates, for example, books an annual state revenue up to Rp 2,000 trillion (US$144.9 billion) per year.

    “I can’t say the exact number. You can do the math. It means they have money,” Alwi said.

    Alwi added that one of the reasons behind their interest to invest in Indonesian tourism was that Indonesia is open to Middle Eastern tourists. In addition, Europe and the United States had been paranoid when they see people with Islamic names spend their holidays in the two regions.

    “It’s related to the political dynamics in the Middle East. There’s Islamophobia and suspicion that make them uncomfortable when students or tourists from Middle East come to the United States or Europe. Therefore, the alternative is Indonesia, one of their friendly countries because there is no suspicion here. In addition, the majority of the population is Muslim. However, we’re not ready yet,” Alwi said.

  • South Korea to Promote Indonesian SME

    South Korea to Promote Indonesian SME

    Agus Mahram, secretary of the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister, said that the his institution has set a cooperation with the Busan-Indonesia Center (BIC) in South Korea to promote Indonesian small and medium enterprises (SME).

    “100 Indonesian SMEs will partner with South Korean’s,” Agus said in Jakarta on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

    Agus said that Busan has prepared a place for Indonesian SMEs to display their products in South Korea while the BIC will prepare marketing personnel to promote Indonesian products.

    “SMEs to be selected are those operating in the manufacturing sector, such as metal, mechanical, information technology components, software and food,” Agus explained. Agus revealed that the South Korean government realized the importance of the Cooperative and Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry to develop local businesses. The Cooperation, Agus added, was aimed at boosting South Korean investments in Indonesia.

    In addition to boost investments, Agus said that the ministry would also promote technology transfer between South Korea and Indonesia. Similar cooperation had been established between the Indonesian government and the Korean Trade Investment Promotion Agency.

    “The cooperation was aimed to develop regional signature products by crafting a program called the ‘One Village One Product’ through cooperatives,” Agus added.

    Agus also encouraged local products to be displayed at Smesco building in Jakarta. He had prepared spots for local products to increase their competitiveness at the national and international levels.

    “South Korea can buy products at Smesco to be promoted in the country,” he said.

  • Indonesian Steel Breaks through Malaysian Market

    Indonesian Steel Breaks through Malaysian Market

    Indonesian hot rolled coils (HRC), which is a type of steel product, can now enter the Malaysian market. The coils managed to tap Malaysia’s market following their government’s decision to stop the investigation on safeguards after assessing that Indonesian steel will not jeopardize the sales of Malaysia’s local products.

    Karyanto Suprih, acting director general of foreign trade at the Trade Ministry, said that the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)—the authority that handles the safeguard investigation—has completed its studies.

    “They did not find indications for possible losses or threats of loss resulting from importing products,”Karyanto said in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 26.

    According to Karyanto, the decision was announced in the Notice of Negative Preliminary Determination on January 6.

    The safeguard investigation over Indonesian HRC began on September 7, 2015 at the request of one of Malaysia’s largest steel producers, Megasteel Sdn. Bhd.

    The investigation was based on allegations of domestic industry losses due to an imports surge of HRC products.

    Karyanto hopes that the termination of the safeguard investigation can help expand Indonesia’s export share for HRC product to Malaysia. In 2014, Indonesian HRC had a 6.1-percent share of Malaysia’s total imports.

  • Indonesia makes strides in fight against corruption

    Indonesia makes strides in fight against corruption

    A researcher for Transparency International Indonesia (TII) elaborates on findings in the Corruption Perception Index 2015 on Monday. Indonesia ranked 88th out of 168 countries, a better position than a year earlier when it ranked 107.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

    Indonesia has shown improvement in the 2015 global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) survey, released by Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) on Wednesday, appearing in 88th position out of 168 countries surveyed and scoring 36 points compared to 34 in 2014.

    The survey, which measures private sector perceptions of public services, recognizes a score of 0 as highly corrupt and 100 as very clean. The agency released results from the survey in 174 countries on Wednesday.

    Although Indonesia only scored two points higher than last year, the feat helped the country to move up 19 notches in the 2015 CPI from 107th position in 2014.

    TI Indonesia’s program director Ilham Saenong said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s extensive efforts to conduct reforms in state institutions had contributed greatly to Indonesia’s good performance in the 2015 CPI.

    “There has been a sense of confidence measured by the survey in the field of public services, for example in driving licenses and passport-making processes,” Saenong told a press briefing on Wednesday.

    The survey revealed that in 2015 Indonesia performed better than neighboring Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, which saw their CPI scores and ranks drop compared to last year.

    In the study, Indonesia was the only Asia-Pacific country that saw its score and rank increase.

    In 2012, the country ranked 118th with 32 points, while in 2013 it achieved the same score but appeared in a higher position at 114. In addition, 2014 saw Indonesia score two points higher at 32 and appear in 107th position.

    With a current score of 34, Indonesia only needs six and nine points to achieve the ASEAN regional average score of 40 and the Asia-Pacific average score of 43.

    “We need to work harder in the future because our current score is still far from G20 countries’ CPI average of 54,” TI Indonesia secretary-general Dadang Tri Sasongko said.

    Dadang said that in previous surveys Indonesia’s CPI score had fluctuated as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was engaged in a standoff with the National Police, but its dustup with the police did not prevent the country from achieving a higher CPI score.

    “Jokowi’s image as a businessman and his good track record very much give hope for business sector actors, in addition to the already good management of the current state of affairs in public services,” he said.

    Dadang added that Indonesia could achieve a higher score if it managed to crack down on corrupt practices involving law enforcement agencies and political corruption.

    “Despite the business community’s confidence in public services now, they also want to see good progress in law enforcement and politics because what they want is legal certainty should they be involved in legal matters in the future,” Dadang said.

    KPK gratuity director Giri Suprapdiono said Indonesia could have earned a better CPI score in 2015 if former KPK commissioners Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto as well as KPK investigator Novel Baswedan had not faced police prosecution.

    He added that politics had also hindered the fight against graft.

    “I can say that we are already on the right track but we still need to work harder and harder. Because it is difficult to see this country free from graft because our politics costs a lot of money,” Giri said.

    In the survey, Denmark came in first position with 92 points, followed by New Zealand with 91, Finland with 90, Sweden with 89, Switzerland with 86 and the Netherlands with 87.

    At the bottom of the list were war-torn Somalia and isolated North Korea with eight points each as well as Afghanistan with 11 points.

  • UC browser grabs over 50 percent market share in Indonesia

    UC browser grabs over 50 percent market share in Indonesia

    Coinciding with its consistent rise in overseas markets, UCWebInc, the global leading provider of mobile Internet software and services and maker behind UC Browser, has hit a new milestone in Indonesia.

    The browser has clocked in 55.27 percent monthly page-view market share as of 2015 year-end, as per StatCounter. The announcement comes on the heels of another feat, where UC Browser became the world’s second most popular mobile browser with 18.6 percent monthly page-view market share in December 2015. UC Browser is already the undisputed leader in the Indian market with over 55 percent market share, according to StatCounter.

    Looking ahead, Kenny Ye, Director of UCWeb International Business, said: “We’re going to sustain our development by enlarging our network of local partners besides keeping innovating our product. All those learnings from partnerships with e-tailers, content providers, etc. last year have made us remain steadfast in increasing our commitment to the local community.”

    As of today, one of every two mobile pages viewed in Indonesia is processed by UC Browser, and it has become the crucial artery in the country’s mobile traffic. The achievement comes about half year after UC Browser secured first place in the local industry.

    Looking back at Indonesia’s mobile browser market in 2015, StatCounter shows that only UC Browser continued a growth trajectory to climb 3 percentage points per month on an average throughout the year. The browser closed out the year 2015 by doubling its market share compared with its share in early 2015 when it took the championship.

    UCWeb Inc. (UCWeb) is a business within Alibaba Group’s mobile business division and a leading provider of mobile internet software and services. Since its inception in 2004, UCWeb’s mission has been to provide better mobile internet experience to people around the world.

  • Gunnebo looks to expand above inflation

    Gunnebo looks to expand above inflation

    Sweden-based security service provider Gunnebo Security Group is looking to see its Indonesian business grow by better than inflation, especially with support from infrastructure projects and its newly installed cash-management facility, the company’s regional executive says.

    Senior vice president for Gunnebo’s Asia-Pacific region, Sacha de La Noe, said on Tuesday that his company would keep its investment focus on cash-management products, one of the group’s backbone businesses, while at the same time he expected growth from other lines, such as from its fire-system services.

    De La Noe said the presence of a local production facility in the country was also expected to have a significant impact on regional sales, with about 70 percent of the local production being shipped to other countries, he added.

    “With more cash to handle in society, we need to find more effective ways to manage that cash. In Indonesia, I see a high number of notes in circulation, and retailers are looking for better ways to handle the cash and that will increase,” he said.

    The group announced in a press statement dated Jan. 15 that it would optimize its cash management manufacturing footprint by transferring production from its Trier plant in Germany to manufacturing units in Binefar, Spain and in Indonesia, to improve customer service levels and manufacturing efficiency. The Trier plant has turnover of around 9 million.

    Indonesia is the second-largest market for Gunnebo in Asia Pacific, with the largest being India. Indonesia contributes around 20 percent to regional sales.

    Gunnebo Indonesia country manager Hindra C. Kurniawan said his company’s revenue normally grew by around 10 percent annually. He added that his company expected that local cash-handling facilities would be its backbone in five years.

    Among its attempts to boost its cash-handling business in Indonesia, Gunnebo has cooperated with taxi operator Express Transindo Utama (Express Group) since 2014 to provide cash-handling equipment in taxi pools in the greater Jakarta area.

    Besides focusing on the cash-handling business, Gunnebo is also looking to see growth in other businesses, such as fire systems, which will be supported by a number of infrastructure projects in the country.

    Among the company’s key projects is providing a fire system for a major power plant in Cirebon, West Java, and with the government’s massive 35-gigawatt power-generation expansion, De La Noe said the group expected an increase in future demand.

    He also said that his company would work with state-run airport operator Angkasa Pura to provide security services in 32 airports that were being built and expanded across the nation. He said that a discussion with the airport operator was scheduled in March.

    The company is also involved in Jakarta’s Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) project, providing, among other facilities, entrance security and ticketing, with De La Noe stating that the MRT’s security system was among the group’s key businesses.

    According to a previous report, Gunnebo produces 30,000 safety deposit boxes annually; 60,000 fire extinguishers and 5,000 to 10,000 cash-handling machines at its factory in Cibitung, West Java.

    Gunnebo had annual turnover of around 610 million in 2014. It has 32 sales companies worldwide, 11 factories across the globe and around 100 additional networks. Its businesses include cash management, safes and vaults, entrance security, electronic security and specifically in Indonesia, fire security.

  • Indonesia’s Low Internet Penetration Rate Curbs Economic Growth

    Indonesia’s Low Internet Penetration Rate Curbs Economic Growth

    Each day the world’s Internet users watch an average of 8.8 billion YouTube videos, share 186 million photos on Instagram, make 152 million Skype calls, purchase 36 million products through Amazon, send 207 billion emails, post 803 million Tweets, and make 4.2 billion searches on Google.

    Although digital technologies have spread rapidly across the globe, the World Bank says digital dividends have lagged behind for part of the global population. The Washington-based financial institution defines digital dividends as “the broader development benefits from using these technologies”. For example, the business community can use digital technologies to expand their business, people can use these technologies to find jobs and the government can use it to enhance services. In other words, digital technologies support financial inclusion, job creation, and overall economic growth.

    However, the fruits of these dividends are unevenly distributed. One of the key solutions in order to let all people enjoy the benefit of digital technologies is to enhance Internet connectivity. But the World Bank also states that well developed Internet access alone is not enough. “Countries also need to work on the ‘analog complements’ by strengthening regulations that ensure competition among businesses, by adapting workers’ skills to the demands of the new economy, and by ensuring that institutions are accountable.

    In essence, two factors are the cause that digital dividends cannot be enjoyed by part of the world population. Firstly, almost 60 percent of the world population still lacks Internet access, hence cannot participate in the digital economy in a meaningful way. Secondly, some of the perceived benefits of digital technologies are offset by emerging risks.

    The first factor should be combated by governments by encouraging (affordable) access to the Internet (and other digital technologies) for its citizens, while creating conducive regulations for the Internet and mobile operators.

    After India and China, Indonesia has the highest amount of people who are not connected to the Internet. The World Bank report stated that the Indonesian government is on the right track to address these aforementioned issues. For example, the Indonesian government is currently finalizing an e-commerce road-map that aims to improve and develop the country’s e-commerce industry. Previously, the Indonesian government said it may allow foreign investors to own a 100 percent stake in Indonesian e-commerce companies in this road-map.

    According to the Association of Internet Service Providers in Indonesia (APJII), Indonesia had around 88.1 million Internet users in 2014, up 22 percent (y/y) from 71.9 million in the preceding year. Given that the total population of Indonesia numbers more than 250 million individuals, Indonesia’s Internet penetration ratio stood at around 35 percent in 2014. This low rate implies there is still ample room for growth in the online business industry.

  • Netflix blocked by Indonesia’s biggest telecom

    Netflix blocked by Indonesia’s biggest telecom

    Netflix hit a snafu during its expansion today, with the biggest telecom in Indonesia, PT Telekomuniksai Indonesia Tbk, blocking access to the service. The blockage is said to be over Netflix’s lack of a content provider permit, as well as objections to some content made available through Netflix. Concerns about adult and violent shows were cited as part of the reason for the banhammer.

    Earlier this month, Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings announced that 130 new countries would be getting access to the streaming service, something that would hugely bump the number of regions where Netflix is available (from 60 to 190). The announcement came a short while ahead of the company’s crackdown against VPN users, a business move largely criticized.

    One of those 130 news countries is Indonesia, but rolling out there won’t go as smoothly as the company may have hoped. The nation’s Censor Board had made it clear earlier this month that it objects to some content made available on Netflix; furthermore, cable operators in the nation had expressed upset about the business move, likely due to the competition Netflix would pose.

    Telkom’s Netflix block is a big one, as the telecom controls both ISPs Wi-Fi.id and IndiHome, covering a large number of Internet users in Indonesia. Telekom also happens to be the company behind a local VOD service called UseeTV.

    Telekom’s VP Arif Prabowo said in a statement today, “Netflix’s content should adjust to regulations in Indonesia,” claiming the block is for the good of the people. It isn’t clear how Netflix will proceed, though it has said it will comply with whatever laws in the region it must.

  • Toyota’s Daihatsu Buyout May Widen Global Lead Over Volkswagen

    Toyota’s Daihatsu Buyout May Widen Global Lead Over Volkswagen

    Toyota Motor Corp. is staying on the offensive after besting Volkswagen AG for bragging rights as the world’s biggest automaker. Now, it’s weighing a deal that might widen its lead, especially in Southeast Asia.

    In buying the rest of its 51 percent-owned Daihatsu Motor Co. unit, a move Toyota confirmed Wednesday that it’s considering, the automaker would gain full control of a company that’s a sales leader for Japanese minicars and compact vehicles in Indonesia and Malaysia. Daihatsu said it’s cooperating with Toyota in buyout discussions and its shares surged by the most since 1999.

    Toyota continues to bound from strength to strength and has grabbed the industry’s sales crown for the fourth straight year. It was also the only automaker to sell more than 10 million vehicles, with Volkswagen falling back amid the diesel-emissions scandal that has tainted its image with consumers and regulators. The potential Daihatsu purchase points to another acquisition option at Toyota’s disposal: It has an almost identical stake in truck maker Hino Motors Ltd.

    “Daihatsu needed support,” Koji Endo, an analyst at Advanced Research Japan, said by phone. “It could not make business in China, the Indonesian market is not doing as well as expected, especially for the last two years, and their domestic minicar business is in harsh competition with Suzuki.”

    Shares of Daihatsu climbed 16 percent, their biggest gain since November 1999, at the close Wednesday in Tokyo. Toyota rose 3.8 percent after confirming it was considering a deal, which was first reported by the Nikkei newspaper.

    At Daihatsu’s current market value, the portion of the company Toyota doesn’t already own is worth about 360.8 billion yen ($3 billion). The deal would give Toyota full say over a company that competes with Suzuki Motor Corp. in Japan’s minicar segment, which has expanded even as the overall domestic auto market has shrunk.

    The Nikkei reported separately Wednesday that Toyota had begun talks with Suzuki to form an alliance and better compete in emerging markets including India, without citing a source. Toyota and Suzuki denied the Nikkei report in filings with the Tokyo exchange.

    Although Daihatsu is a force in Japan’s minicar segment and in Indonesia and Malaysia, the company struggled last year. Sales in its domestic market fell 14 percent, the result of a price war with Suzuki for sales leadership in the fiscal year ended in March 2015.

    Daihatsu sales have been slumping in Indonesia, with deliveries dropping 10 percent through the first half of its fiscal year. Owning all of the carmaker could help Toyota to better navigate these challenges, said Matt Stover, a Boston-based analyst at Susquehanna International Group.

    ‘More Latitude’

    “There are certain things that you can’t get at when it’s an independent company versus when it’s something that you totally own,” Stover said by phone. “There are some duplicate expenses you can get rid of and you have a lot more latitude to pursue your strategy.”

    Global sales for Toyota, including Hino and Daihatsu, slipped 0.8 percent to 10.15 million vehicles last year, the company said Wednesday in a statement. Volkswagen earlier this month reported a 2 percent drop to 9.9 million, while General Motors Co.’s deliveries rose 0.2 percent to 9.8 million.

    “Toyota’s hegemony will probably not be challenged for the next few years after the big setback for VW,” said Zhou Jincheng, a Nagoya-based analyst at researcher Fourin Inc. “The gap will only get wider and wider because VW will take time to adjust its strategies for markets such as the U.S. and Europe.”

    Toyota first tied up with Daihatsu in 1967 and has owned its majority stake since 1998. Daihatsu started making Toyota-branded minicars in 2011 and also builds vehicles for its parent in Indonesia. The company was the top-selling automaker in Malaysia for nine straight years through 2014.

    Daihatsu traces its beginnings to March 1907, when two academics and a group of businessmen set up a company in Osaka, Japan’s second-largest city, to produce internal combustion engines. The company changed its name to Daihatsu Motor in December 1951.