The 30^th Meeting of the Board of Directors of Asia Japan Alumni (ASJA) International was held on March 27, 2015 at the 43^rd Floor, Moonlight Suite, Keio Plaza Hotel, Shinjuku, Tokyo. PHILFEJA was represented by its President, MR. PHILIP B. SANVICTORES, who serves as the ex-officio Director for the Philippines in the ASJA Board. In 2014, Mr. Sanvictores served as the Acting Chairman of the ASJA Board representing the late BENJAMIN C. LAUREL, who was then the incumbent ASJA Chairman but was unable to attend due to his failing health.

The Directors in attendance were:

• SI SI SHIEN – ASJA Chairman; Director for Mynamar
• TAKASHI TAJIMA – Director for Japan
• TINEKE MANDANG – Director for Indonesia
• OOK CHEE KEONG – Director for Malaysia
• PHILIP B. SANVICTORES – Director for the Philippines
• TAN KAY GUAN – Director for Singapore
• SAMRAN CHOODUANGERN – Director for Thailand
• VUTHY MONYRATH – Director for Cambodia
• NGO MINH THUY – Director for Vietnam
• BOUASONE VONTHAPHONG – Director for Laos
• CHIN WEI KEI – Director for Brunei

Also in attendance were:

• ISMADJI HADISUMARTO – Vice-President, PERSADA
• INDRI TOFIR – PERSADA
• HIDEKI AMANG – PERSADA
• SALENA GOH BEI HONG – wife of Dr. Ooi Chee Keong
• GO NEE SHEUNG – Director, PERSADA
• PATRICIA MARIBEL C. SANVICTORES – wife of Mr. Philip B. Sanvictores
• MA. ELENA LAUREL-LOINAZ – Project Manager, 21^st ASCOJA Conference
• GLENDA T. FERMA – Deputy Project Manager, 21^st ASCOJA Conference
• YEE JEN EN – Vice-President, JUGAS
• SURAWUT CHUANGCHOTE – Director for External Affairs, OJSAT
• MO MO SAN – Secretary-General, MAJA
• SAN SAN LUIN – Deputy Secretary-General, MAJA
• MYO KIHN – Vice-President, MAJA
• MON SU – Vice-President, MAJA
• TON TON TEH – Member, MAJA
• PHAN THRUN GIAN – Secretary-General, JAV
• GUEN FEN THIAN – Deputy Secretary-General, JAV
• TAN THUY KIM THUEN – Committee Member, JAV

Other attendees were:

• SHINADA, Director – MOFA
• MIWA KISHIMOTO– MOFA

ASJA International Secretariat members in attendance were:

• JIRO SATO – Secretary-General, ASJA International
• IWAMOTO – Editor, ASJA International
• CHIKAKO HAGIHARA – ASJA International Secretariat
• FURUTA – ASJA International Secretariat
• ARIMA – ASJA International Secretariat

In total, there were 38 participants in the 30^th ASJA International Board Meeting.

The Schedule for the 2-day affair was as follows:

March 26, 2015 (Thursday)

13:00:    Assembly of ASJA Directors at Moonlight Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

13:15:    Briefing for the Program by ASJA International

14:00:    Departure from Keio Plaza Hotel for Diet Members Office, Building No. 1

15:00:    Round Table Conference with Diet Members

16:00:    Tour of the National Diet Main Building

17:00:    Return to Keio Plaza Hotel

18:30:    Welcome Dinner hosted by ASJA Secretary-General Mr. Jiro Sato; Comet Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

March 27, 2015 (Friday)

09:00:    ASJA International Board Meeting, Moonlight Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

12:00:    Lunch, Moonlight Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

14:00:    ASCOJA Governors Meeting, Moonlight Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

16:30:    ASJA International Graduates Presentation and Completion Ceremony, Comet Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

18:30:    Dinner Reception, ASJA International, Starlight Room, 43^rd Floor, Keio Plaza Hotel

AGENDA

1. Proposed Budget for FY2015
   • Plans for FY2015
     • Scholars Intake – 18 graduate students, 5 undergraduate students
     • Total current scholars – 30 students
     • Plans and Programs
       1. Orientation for new scholars
       2. Cultural exchange and networking
       3. Homestay
       4. Sociocultural exposure
       5. Commencement exercises
       6. Research reports
       7. ASJA Newsletter and Homepage
     • ASJA Annual Board of Directors meeting in March 2016
     • Participation in the 21^st ASCOJA Conference in the Philippines
     • Assistance for Strengthening the ASCOJA Network
       1. Online Communication Platform
       2. ASCOJA Symposia on Labor and Business

2. FY2015 Budget
   • Proposed Budget – JPY46,625,000 vs JPY64,869,000 (FY2014)
   • Breakdown of FY2015 Budget
     • Assistance for ASJA Scholars – JPY8,958,471
     • Assistance for ASCOJA / Alumni associations – JPY5,575,970
     • Strengthening ASCOJA Network – JPY27,476,950
     • ASJA Secretariat – JPY20,197,371
     • Audit fee – JPY660,000
     • Total – JPY62,868,762
     • Government Proposal – JPY46,625,000

3. List of Scholars Accepted for FY2015
   • Indonesia – 2 scholars
   • Malaysia – 2 scholars
   • Philippines – 2 scholars
   • Singapore – 3 scholars
   • Thailand – 2 scholars
   • Myanmar – 3 scholars
   • Cambodia – 3 scholars
   • Vietnam – 2 scholars
   • Laos – 3 scholars
   • Brunei – 1 scholar
4. Report on ASJA Activities in 2014
   • April 25-26, 2014: Orientation for new ASJA-MEXT Scholars
   • May 9, 2014: Welcome party for new scholars
   • August 1-5, 2014: Tochigi-Ken Homestay
   • August 7-11, 2014: Shizuoka-Ken Homestay
   • August 29-31, 2014: Interaction with Japanese University Students
   • September 2-5, 2014: Fukuoka-Ken Volunteer Work
   • September 9, 2014: Lecture on International Understanding
   • September 27, 2014: ASEAN Festival
   • November 1, 2014: Workshop on Research of Experiences in Japanese Life
   • November 2, 2014: Experiencing Japan Culture
   • November 2, 2014: Orientation for new ASJA-MEXT Scholars (October Intake)
   • December 4-7, 2014: Kyoto Workshop on Life in Japan
   • January 23-25, 2015: ASJA-ASCOJA Consultative Meeting on the 21^st ASCOJA Conference and the Proposed ASCOJA Online Communication Platform
   • February 5-6, 2015: Tour of Industrial Japan
   • February 27, 2015: Lecture on International Understanding
   • March 6-8, 2015: Cultural Interaction
   • March 15, 2015: Experiencing Japan Culture
   • March 27, 2015: Commencement Exercises; ASJA Directors Meeting
5. Guidelines for Selection and Acceptance of Research Students
   • Candidates must understand the purposes of ASJA and commit to participate in its activities and programs
   • In principle, must desire to continue studies towards a masteral degree
   • Study in a school in Tokyo or its suburbs and cities nearby
   • In principle, start in April
   • Undergo 6-months Nihongo Training at the Tokyo Japanese Language Training Center prior to starting work on graduate studies
6. ASCOJA Online Communication Platform
   • Factors behind the establishment of the ASCOJA Online Platform to be developed and administered by ASJA
   • ASCOJA participation in the development of the platform
   • ASCOJA Committee on the Online Platform Development and Contribution of Content – PHILFEJA, PERSADA, JAGAM, OJSAT, JAV.
7. ASJA-ASCOJA Symposia Series for FY2015
   • Topics will generally be on Labor and Business Flows
   • Frequency – once every three months; i.e., quarterly
   • Venue – in different ASCOJA countries
   • Budget coverage – travel expenses of participants (1-2 persons per country), venue rental, travel expenses of symposium speaker-expert (1 person per symposium), lecture costs, documentation and report costs
8. Matters for Decision by the Board of Directors
   • Election of new ASJA Chairman
   • Minutes of the 29^th ASJA International Minutes of Meeting
9. Other matters
   • ASCOJA to conduct pre-departure orientation for all ASJA-MEXT scholars
   • ASJA-MEXT Scholars required to attend the Welcome Party and Orientation to be held on April 25-26 in Tokyo
   • ASJA-MEXT Scholars staying outside Tokyo to bear all transport and lodging expenses to be incurred in attending ASJA Activities
   • Contact details (email address, mobile phone, etc.) to be provided ASJA
   • Students to allow ASJA to use personal information submitted to and provided the MEXT for their respective applications for scholarship