49th ASEAN – Japan Business Meeting on 3 November 2023 at Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore

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The 49th ASEAN – Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) hosted by AJBM Singapore and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) was held at Raffles City Convention Center, Singapore. A total of 150 members comprising business leaders and industry captains from across ASEAN and Japan registered. MAJECA (AJBM Malaysia) was represented by Mr Raja Hamzah Abidin, Executive Committee Member of MAJECA and Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary.

The ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) is a multilateral, private-led forum between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The inaugural meeting was held in 1974 in Tokyo, Japan, on the initiative of Keizai Doyukai, one of the influential national business organizations in Japan.

Behind the creation of this forum was a strong belief among the Keizai Doyukai members of the time, that economic exchange on the private-sector level, supplementing official development aid, should play a key role to realize stability and development of the East-Asian countries. In comparison with other international conferences and forum, the AJBM is unique in providing an arena for private sector dialogue between Japan and ASEAN as a region.

AJBM Singapore and Keizai Doyukai, showcased a new format for the ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting. With the cooperation of Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting Group and the AJBM National Committees in ASEAN countries, this 49th meeting showcased real voices and latest trends to businesses in ASEAN & Japan. A series of workshops were held in the lead up to the AJBM with the assistance of Deloitte fraternity across ASEAN and Japan. The outcomes of these workshops on key business agendas were outlined and discussed at the 49th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM).

Building on the outcomes of the 48th AJBM, wherein ASEAN-Japan partnership was further underscored, and human resources as a top priority issue was identified. The 49th AJBM, themed “ASEAN–Japan Common Agenda in the Value Co-Creation Era” highlighted additional key business agendas built on the aforementioned workshops, which included sustainable mobility and digital experiences to drive sustainable growth.

Opening Session

  • Mr Cecil Leong, Chairman, 49th AJBM (AJBM Singapore), PSA Singapore delivered the Welcome Remarks.
  • Mr Yuji Hirako, Co-Chairman, 49th AJBM (Keizai Doyukai), Vice Chairman, ANA Holdings Inc., delivered the Welcome Remarks.
  • H.E. Koji Ishikawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Singapore delivered the Guest Remarks.
  • Mr Eugene Ho, CEO, Deloitte Southeast Asia delivered the Guest Remarks.
  • The Keynote Speech was delivered by H.E. Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Mr Fumikazu Kitagawa, Partner, Deloitte, Japan delivered the introduction to the aforementioned new concept & format of the AJBM and proceeding AJBM Plenary Sessions.

Plenary Session 1: Sustainable Mobility – Carbon Neutral Realities in ASEAN

Mr Takashi Kuwabara, Partner, Deloitte, Japan delivered the opening presentation on the above theme. Following that, the session then proceeded to a panel discussion comprising:

  • Mr Koji Ikeya, Former Representative Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Mistubishi Motors Corporation
  • Mr Kasemsit Pathomsak, Vice Chairman, Board of Trade of Thailand (BoT)
  • Ms Corieh Dichosa, Executive Director, Philippine Board of Investments
  • H.E. Dr Yusra Khan, Ambassador, Environment Stakeholder Member National Energy Council, Indonesia & Ambassador of Indonesia to the Republic of Mexico
  • Mr Brian Ho Chi Kuen, Partner, Deloitte, Singapore
  • Mr Takashi Kuwabara, Partner, Deloitte, Japan
  • Mr Rikuto Yamada, Manager, Deloitte, Singapore moderated the session

Plenary Session 2: Digital Experience – Sustainable Growth through Creating New Digital Experiences

Mr Takuya Shiotani, Executive Director, Deloitte, Singapore and Mr Rasheed Deen Basheer Ahmad, Manager, Deloitte, Singapore delivered a presentation on the above theme. The session the proceeded to a panel discussion moderated by Mr Kenichiro Hashiguchi, Senior Manager, Deloitte, Singapore. The panel comprised:

  • Mr Raja Hamzah Abidin, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner, RHL Ventures, Malaysia and Executive Committee Member of MAJECA
  • Ms Gan-Low Mai Leong, Head, Economics & Investment, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Malaysia
  • Mr Kuniyoshi Mabuchi, Partner, Deloitte, Japan

The AJBM then adjourned for a lunch session where H.E. Masahiko Kiya (1st pic below), Ambassador of the Mission of Japan to ASEAN and Mr Eddie Ng (2nd pic below), Head, Digital & Data Strategy, PSA BDP, Singapore gave guest speeches respectively titled “ASEAN and Japan – Beyond the 50th Year of Friendship and Cooperation” and “Data & Digital Solutions for Supply Chain Resilience.

Plenary Session 3: Human Resources Value Chain – Human Resource Platform to Unleash Value Co-Creation in the Region

Mr Kazufumi Watanabe, Group Chief Transformation Officer, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, Sompo Holdings Inc. delivered a presentation & moderated the panel discussion. The panel comprised:

  • Mr Jiraphant Asvatanakul, Vice Chairman, Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC)
  • Mr Ferdinand A. Ferrer, Chairman and CEO, EMS Group, Co-Chairman, Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc. (PHILJEC)
  • Mr Avishek Nandy, Partner, Bain & Company Inc., Singapore
  • Mr Hiroyuki Tsutsumi, SEVP, Corporate Executive Officer, Fujitsu Limited
  • Ms Asuka Hamakawa, CEO, Earth Company & Mana Earthly Paradise, Japan

The Wrap-up session saw Mr Fuchu Takaaki (1st pic below), AJBM Singapore Representative Partner, Deloitte on behalf Mr Tetsuya Watanabe, President, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and Mr Kalin Sarasin (2nd pic below), Honorary Chairman, Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand who delivered their inputs to wrap-up the deliberations of the day and announced that AJBM Thailand had accepted to host the 50th Golden Jubilee ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting in Thailand in 2024.

The AJBM then proceeded to its Closing Session.

Mr Naoaki Mashita, Vice Chairman, Keizai Doyukai and Chairman & Group CEO (Founder), V-Cube Inc. delivered his Closing Remarks.

Mr Cecil Leong, Chairman, 49th AJBM (AJBM Singapore), PSA Singapore delivered his Closing Remarks.

Further information on the 49th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting, including the videos of the presentations and related documents can be viewed on the Keizai Doyukai website on the following: https://www.doyukai.or.jp/en/policyproposals/2023/231103event&info.html

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