This project seeks to maintain human networks in Southeast Asia that have been formed by the Sasakawa Pan Asia Fund (SPAF) and to conduct exchange activities with the aim of forming new networks and strengthening Japan's relations with India as well as countries to the west of India and in Northeast Asia.
During fiscal 2007, Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was invited to Japan from May 30 to June 2. During his visit he met with Diet members and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From July 2 to 9, six delegates from Georgia, including Tamar Kovziridze, Georgia' s deputy minister of economic development, and Alexander Rondeli, chairman of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, visited Japan and made rounds to venues such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, where the delegates worked to promote mutual understanding between Georgia and Japan.
The project also sent 10 researchers from Vietnam to the ASEAN People's Assembly international conference (held in Manila on October 23-26 by the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies in the Philippines). Moreover, the project sent participants from Myanmar to the Myanmar/ Burma Update Conference (held on December 3-4 at the Australian National University).