Strategic Dialogue and Exchange Program of SPF held the 2nd Asian Statespersons’ Forum (ASF) in a closed-door group discussion format from July 26 to 28, 2024, with the aim of deepening mutual understanding and building personal networks among political leaders of Japan and Southeast Asian countries for the long-term peace and security of the Asian community, including Japan.
The 2nd ASF was held in Bali, Indonesia, jointly with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Japan, inviting a total of 15 young and mid-career political leaders from Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam who share the values of "promoting democracy," "improving social diversity and inclusion," and working together for “regional stability and security”.
On the first day, a welcome reception was hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Japan. H.E. Mr. Yasushi Masaki, Ambassador of Japan in Indonesia, and Dr. Takashi Shiraishi, Professor Emeritus of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), as well as representatives of the organizers and co-organizers gave speeches.
On the second day, representatives of the participating countries gave reports on the political situation in their countries and common issues in the Asian region, followed by a plenary discussion. The discussions were frank and lively from the standpoint of individual political leaders on a wide range of topics, including elections in democracy, security and compliance with international law, priority industrial policies such as AI and semiconductors, healthcare system and aging society, and expectations of Japan from Southeast Asian countries.
Building on the keynote speeches, the final day of the forum featured further in-depth discussions on the transformation from the development state model, the knowledge economy, widening inequality and shrinking middle class, public diplomacy, balanced economic development and intra-regional cooperation, and more.
With the objectives mentioned at the beginning, our group plans to continue holding ASFs in the form of group discussions.
