The 28^th Board of Directors Meeting of ASJA (Asia Japan Alumni Association) International was held on March 28, 2014 at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.  PHILFEJA sent a four-person delegation led by Mr. Philip B. Sanvictores who represented Mr. Benjamin C. Laurel, PHILFEJA President concurrently Chairman of both ASJA and ASCOJA (ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni).  The other members of the Delegation were Ms. Cecile P. Tolentino (PHILFEJA Secretary-General), Ms. Marilen Laurel-Loinaz and Ms. Gennie T. Ferma (Administrator and Deputy Administrator respectively of the Philippines-Japan Friendship Foundation).  Also in attendance as an observer was Mrs. Patricia Maribel C. Sanvictores.

ASJA Directors from all 10 ASEAN countries, each representing chapter associations of ASCOJA were in attendance.  ASJA, on the other hand was represented by Amb. Takashi Tajima, Director for Japan and Mr. Jiro Sato, Secretary-General.  Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Toshiba Foundation International, and the National Institute for Youth Education (NIYE) were also present.

PHILFEJA President Mr. Philip B. Sanvictores with H.E. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

Prior to the meeting, the ASJA Directors called on H.E. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Official Residence of the Prime Minister in Nagatacho.  Thereafter, the group called on Mr. Teisuke Kitayama, Chairman of the Keizai Douyu Kai at the Sumitomo Mitsui Bank head office in Otemachi.

ASCOJA delegates with Keizai Douyakai Chairman Mr. Teisuke Kitayama at his office at the Sumitomo Mitsui Bank Headquarters

A Welcome Dinner followed at the Comet room 43^rd floor of the Keio Plaza Hotel where Mr. Sanvictores delivered a speech on behalf of Mr. Laurel.

The following day, Friday 28 March 2014, Mr. Sanvictores, representing Chairman Benjamin Laurel, presided over the ASJA International Board Meeting.  The meeting tackled various matters including the Proposed ASJA Budget for FY2014, new guidelines for the selection of ASJA Government Scholars, reports on various ASJA activities as well as the extension of the term of the ASJA Secretary-General.  The matter concerning the selection of the ASJA Chairman in order to allow Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to serve was also tackled.  It was agreed after extensive discussions that for the next three years (2014-2017), the ASJA Chairmanship will have a one-year fixed term to be rotated among the said three countries following normal balloting procedures of ASJA.

The ASJA meeting was followed by a special meeting of the ASCOJA Board of Governors which was also chaired by Mr. Sanvictores on behalf of Mr. Laurel.  The meeting mainly discussed the report of Dr. Ngo Binh of the Japan Alumni of Vietnam (JAV) on the results of the 20^th ASCOJA Conference held in Hanoi in 2013, preliminary plans of PHILFEJA for hosting the 21^st ASCOJA Conference in 2015, and the plan to craft a new Vision and Mission for ASCOJA in time for ASCOJA 2015.

The meeting was temporarily suspended with a courtesy call on Mr. Akio Mimura, Chairman and Mr. Toshio Nakamura of the Japan Chamber of Commerce at its head office in Marunouchi.  During the courtesy call, Mr. Sanvictores noted that the __ Annual Joint Meeting of the Economic Cooperation Committees of the Philippines and Japan was recently held in Manila earlier in the month.

ASCOJA Governors and ASJA Officers called on the Chairman of Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Mr. Akio Mimura on March 28, 2014 at the JCCI Headoffice in Marunouchi, Tokyo.

Upon the resumption of the ASCOJA Governors Meeting, representatives from the National Institute for Youth Exchange (NIYE) and Toshiba International Foundation (TIF) gave presentations on respective programs being offered to ASCOJA youth delegates for Autumn 2014 and March 2015.

After the ASCOJA Meeting, Mr. Sanvictores addressed the ASJA scholars who had just completed their studies.  Three graduates from Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia were presented certificates of completion.  As the presiding ASJA Chairman, Mr. Sanvictores read each citation before handing out the certificates to them.

This was followed by the rendering of reports from 18 current ASJA Scholars about their ongoing activities.  There were two Filipinos in that group of scholars.

The day ended with a farewell reception which was attended not only by the ASCOJA delegates but also officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology, NIYE, Toshiba Foundation and Assemblyman Tatsuo Fukuda, son of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, grandson of former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda.  Mr. Sanvictores spoke to the youthful Assemblyman Fukuda about the long relationship between his illustrious grandfather and father with the Philippines-Japan Society and the ASCOJA, citing their personal relationships with the late Ambassador Jose S. Laurel III, founder of the Philippines-Japan Society and also his father, Ambassador Benjamin F. Sanvictores.