A 23-member PHILFEJA (Philippine Federation of Japan alumni) delegation headed by Mr. Francis C Laurel, President of the Philippines-Japan Society and Mr. Domingo C. Go, President of PHILFEJA attended the 27^th ASCOJA (ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni) Conference which was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from July 7-9, 2023.

The 27^th ASCOJA Conference whose Theme is “ASEAN-Japan Cooperation Towards SDGs for Better Quality of Life.” was  held on the 8^th of July but the day before, on the 7^th of July  was  the ASJA-ASCOJA-PERSADA International Symposium  with the Theme:  “How the Covid Pandemic Affected and Provide Opportunities for ASEAN-Japan Social, Culture and Economic Development.” Both were held at the Universitas Darma Persada in Jakarta.   

PHILFEJA speaker for the ASJA Symposium was Dr. Donald Patrick Lim, Chief Operating Officer of DITO CME and the Chief Innovation Officer of the Udenna Corporation. He is also the President the Philippine Marketing Association.  Speaker for the ASCOJA Conference was Ms. Griselda (Gay) Santos, Regional Director, Southeast Asia of Water.org, an international non-profit organization that helps people living in poverty get access to safe water and improved sanitation through affordable financing.

The delegates enjoyed the Welcome Reception  held at Kempinski Grand Indonesia  graced by the presence of the Japanese  Ambassador to Indonesia, Kenji  Kanasugi  and  the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan,  Mr. Shunsuke Takei. On the 9^th of July, after the Morning Mangrove and  City Tour which ended with a sumptuous lunch,  the delegates were also entertained by a memorable  Farewell Dinner at the Sultan Hotel & Residence Jakarta with a popular  Indonesian Band.   Hon. Tatsuo Fukuda,  Member of the House of Representative was the special guest who showed his good sportsmanship by joining the mass dancing and was dubbed the “Dancing King” of the night.  Mr. Tatsuo Fukuda currently serves as Chief Deputy Secretary General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Japan.  He is the son of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and grandson of former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda. 

The 28^th ASCOJA Conference will be held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2025.

Photos

The “ASEAN-Japan Relations Caught on FIRe” was held last February 7, 2020 at the Makati Diamond Residences, Makati City. The symposium was hosted by PHILFEJA, in cooperation with Asia Japan Alumni (ASJA) International and the ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni (ASCOJA)

PHOTO ALBUM

Photo credit: JAOL

PHILFEJA delegates headed by President, Ms. Junelyn Pagunsan and Trustee, Mr. Philip Sanvictores, attended the 15^th ASJA-ASCOJA-JAOL International Symposium and 25^th ASCOJA International Conference held on October 4 and October 5, 2019 respectively. Both events were held at the Don Chan Palace Hotel and Convention in Vientiane, the capital city of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 

The 15^th ASJA-ASCOJA-JAOL International Symposium was centered on the theme “Food Safety-Advancing ASEAN and Japan Cooperation.” The presentations shared the different experiences and best practices of the respective ASEAN countries and Japan when it comes to food safety. A panel discussion was held after the presentations. 

The 25^th ASCOJA International Conference, on the other hand, gave a venue for speakers from ASCOJA member associations to share their country’s engagements and preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This year’s conference was entitled “Succeeding Together ASEAN and Japan- Towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

A day dedicated to Sports and Cultural Activities was also held on October 6, which toured participants to different temples and markets in the city. They visited several important cultural sites including Wat Si Muang temple, Patuxay Monument, Wat Si Saket temple, and the Hor Pha Keo Museum. After the city tour, the PHILFEJA delegates enjoyed traditional Lao cuisine at the Tao Salat Market and Shopping Mall. 

In the afternoon, ASCOJA and ASJA held a meeting to discuss a variety of matters including the possibility of changing the hosting of ASCOJA Conference and ASJA Symposium from every year to every two years. Matters relating to the number of undergraduate scholars from ASCOJA Member countries for the Monbukagakusho Scholarship was also discussed, followed by PHILFEJA’s updates regarding the ASJA-ASCOJA-PHILFEJA Symposium 2020.  

The delegates were then treated to a Gala Dinner prepared by the Japan Alumni Association of Laos (JAOL) for all delegates and guests. ASCOJA member countries presented their own cultural performances during the dinner party. 

For a full account of the events, please read the travel report written by PHILFEJA President, Ms. Junelyn Pagunsan.