The Sasakawa Peace Foundation actively encourages political dialogue with Southeast Asian nations and India with a view to strengthening the strategic relationship between Japan and other countries in Asia. Recent developments in the international order, along with broader climate and population trends, have made the task of nurturing the next generation of opinion leaders and developing leadership networks an increasingly urgent one. This project leverages Track 1.5 diplomacy by working closely with political leadership networks to address shared challenges across the Asia region. We also explore approaches and solutions to major societal challenges in the context of global change and seek to establish a foundation for strengthening relations between Japan and its Asian neighbors.