AJBM Malaysia, represented by MAJECA, will be hosting the 46^th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) in Kuala Lumpur, tentatively scheduled to take place in early December 2020. The Coordination Teams from Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and MAJECA held a virtual meeting on 28 May 2020.

Attendees from AJBM Malaysia Committee:

• Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, MAJECA.
• Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA
• Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng
• Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary, MAJECA

Attendees from Keizai Doyukai:

• Nobuhide Hayashi, AJBM Co-Chairman, Chairman of ASIA-Japan Relations PT, Keizai Doyukai
• Keiichiro Hashimoto, President and Vice Chairman, Keizai Doyukai
• Yasuyuki Ishii, Vice President, Keizai Doyukai
• Makiko Higuchi, Senior Manager, Policy Studies Department, Keizai Doyukai
• Katsumi Miyazaki, Manager, Policy Studies Department, Keizai Doyukai
• Masahiro Sato, Manager, Global Corporate Coordination Department, Planning Team, Mizuho Financial Group

(L-R) Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Tan Sri Azman Hashim and Ms Ng Su Fun at the virtual meeting with Keizai Doyukai.

Mr. Nobuhide Hayashi and other representatives from Keizai Doyukai at the virtual meeting.

The meeting discussed the outcome of last year’s 45^th AJBM held in Japan and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Japan and Malaysia.  The virtual discussion covered the following:

• The 46^th AJBM will continue to discuss “Digitalization and Start-up” as well as the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and challenges for each country, and for ASEAN-Japan Relations.
• Issues emerging under the COVID-19 crisis are diverse, but for the meeting of business leaders, emphasis will be on the impacts and consequences of the current crisis in the areas of resilience and continuity of business and people’s livelihood.
• Topics could include: restructuring of manufacturing supply chains across Japan and ASEAN, economic and industrial impacts (tourism, health care and medicine), employment issues, roles expected to startups and technologies, acceleration of digitalization etc.
• Keizai Doyukai will proceed with the planning of the next conference, taking into consideration actual conditions and prospects regarding the aforementioned issues and the possibility of Japan-ASEAN cooperation.
• Keizai Doyukai will engage with other ASEAN AJBM Committees and will make recommendations for the convening of the 46th AJBM.