Two Indonesian Mosques In Tokyo And Sano Opened To Public

JAKARTA, May 29 (Antara) - Two Indonesian mosques in Tokyo and Sano, Japan, are now open to the public after being inaugurated by Indonesian Ambassador to Japan and Federative States of Micronesia Arifin Tasrif on Friday. The construction of the mosques has been completed and officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by over 100 Indonesian citizens living in Tokyo, Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website stated here on Saturday. Moreover, representatives of several Islamic organizations of Japan and foreign countries, such as Turkey, attended the ceremony. Before the two mosques were built in the neighborhood, Indonesian Muslims in Tokyo conducted Islamic activities at Balai Indonesia of the Tokyo Indonesia School. The limited space and the high land price had posed some hindrances in constructing the mosques, which were firstly initiated by the Islamic society of Indonesian people (KMII) in Tokyo back in 1999. In 2012, the KMII had received donations from former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and vice presidents at that time, Jusuf Kalla and Boediono for the construction of the mosques. A recommendation letter from former Indonesian ambassador to Japan Muhammad Luthfi and sponsorship from the Japan Muslim Association had contributed to realizing the construction of the mosques in which around 188 million Yen, or Rp22 billion, was spent. Donations were also collected from Muslim society in Indonesia and Japan through social media campaigning and crowd funding. Construction of the mosques began in June 11, 2016, while their inauguration took place a day before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan this year. Houses of worship are expected to hold Islamic activities of Indonesian Muslims in Japan and the local Islamic society as well as to promote the dawah, or issuing summons, of Islam in Japan.