Led by Mr. Richard Albert I. Osmond, Chairman of the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc., PHILJEC delegates attended the 50th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) held at The Okura Prestige in Bangkok, Thailand from November 6 to 8, 2024. This event marked a historic milestone in the partnership between ASEAN member countries and Japan. Under the theme “Building Resilient Partnerships for Sustainable Futures,” the meeting brought together prominent business leaders, and industry experts to engage in meaningful discussions and debates to explore critical issues affecting the region.
November 6 was reserved for the Steering Committee Meeting, and Welcome Reception for the Steering Committee Members which was held at the Hard Rock Café, Bangkok. The evening started with greetings and toast from Mr. Kalin Sarasin, the 50th AJBM Chairman and Honorary Chairman of the Thailand Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand. This was followed by a presentation on “Geopolitical Trends surrounding ASEAN and Japan’s Investment towards ASEAN” by Mr. SHIBATA Soichiro, Director of the Monitor Deloitte.
The conference officially began on November 7, with welcoming remarks from Mr. Sarasin. Subsequent remarks were delivered by Mr. HIRAKO Yuji, 50th AJBM Co-Chairman and Co-Chairperson of Japan-Asia Relations Committee of Keizai Doyukai; Mr. MIKE Kanetsugu, Vice Chairperson of Keizai Doyukai and Member of the Board of Directors, Chairman of MUFG; and H. E. OTAKA Masato, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand.
H. E. Mr. Akanat Promphan, Minister of Industry of Thailand delivered the keynote speech on “Strengthening ASEAN-Japan Cooperation for Economic Stability and Sustainability in the Digital Age.” This was followed by a presentation on “Strategic Partnerships: Exploring ASEAN-Japan Relations in a Dynamic Global Context” by Dr. Somkiat Tangkitvanich, President of Thailand Development Research Institute.
The first panel discussion moderated by Mr. Muhaymin Khan, Manager of YCP focused on Food Security. This panel addressed the urgent need for action to prevent food shortages in ASEAN nations. Panelists included:
- Dr. Poj Aramwattananont, President & CEO, SeaValue Public Company Limited
- Mr. SAKAKURA Ichiro, President, Ajinomoto Thailand
- Mr. Salman Ghazali, Group Chief Strategy Officer, FGV Holdings Berhad
Shortly after the lunch break, the second panel discussion focusing on Tourism commenced. Moderated by Ms. Fei Yong, Manager of YCP, this panel highlighted the role of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in preserving the tourism value chain. Panelists included:
- Mrs. Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International
- Mr. KITAGAWA Hiroyuki, President & CEO, JTB PTE Ltd.
- Mr. KANDA Shinya, President & CEO of ANA X
- Mr. Joydeep Chakraborty, Chief Strategy Officer, Traveloka
A brief discussion on Food Culture in Tourism followed, led by Associate Professor Jutamas Wisansing, PhD, Managing Director & Consultant at Perfect Link Consulting Group and Mr. Matthew John Knights, Chief Hospitality Group Officer, Asset World Corporation.
The third panel discussion focused on Mobility and was moderated by Mr. Nuttapan Meethong, Director of YCP. The panel addressed the growing challenge of air pollution and its impact on public health and urban living. Panelists included:
- Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok
- Mr. Prasanna Kumar Ganesh, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Asia
- Mr. Yew Heng Lim, Group Managing Director, Grab Holdings
Following this, Keizai Doyukai and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) presented on HR Platform. Speakers for this session are:
- Mr. HIRAKO Yuji, Co-Chairperson, Japan-Asia Relations Committee, Keizai Doyukai and Senior Advisor, ANA Holdings, Inc.
- Mr. AIZAWA Nobuhiro, Dean and Managing Director, ERIA’s School of Government
- Mr. WATANABE Kazufumi, Group CXO, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, SOMPO Holdings, Inc.
H. E. KIYA Masahiko, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN served as respondent.
The conference concluded with closing remarks from Mr. IMAI Seiji, Co-Chairperson of Japan-Asia Relations Committee of Keizai Doyukai and Chairman, Member of the Board of Directors of Mizuho Financial Group.
Several Thai and Japanese media were invited to a press conference after the meeting.
Discussions are compiled into a whitepaper which can be accessed through the link below.
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