The 44th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA) was convened virtually over Zoom on Wednesday, 16 June 2020 at the Boardroom, 26th Floor, Bangunan Ambank Group, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur.
In order to comply with the Government’s and/or relevant authorities’ directives and guidelines on public gatherings, meetings and events, arising from the measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic during the Recovery Movement Control Order, the 44th AGM was convened via a hybrid of in-person as well as virtual participation.
The following were elected to the Executive Committee of MAJECA for the new term 2021-2022.
Office Bearers
President: YBhg Tan Sri Azman Hashim
Vice-Presidents:
YBhg Dato’ Md Taib Abdul Hamid YBhg Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal YBhg Datuk Jason Tai Hee YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lodin Bin Wok Kamaruddin
Honorary Secretary: YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng
Honorary Treasurer: Mr Yeonhang Chuah
Executive Committee Members
YBhg Dato Yeoh Seok Kian
YBhg Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa
Mr Ravindran Kurusamy
Mr Steven Tee Shin Yau
Mr Goh Peng Ooi
Some photos of the meeting proceedings can be found below:
Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President & Chairman delivering his Chairman’s Statement.
Dato’ Md Taib Abdul Hamid, Vice-President
YBhg Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President
YBhg Datuk Jason Tai Hee, Vice-President
YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lodin Bin Wok Kamaruddin, Vice-President
YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng, Hon. Secretary
Mr Yeonhang Chuah, Hon. Treasurer
YBhg Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Member of Executive Committee
Mr Gary Tang, Member of Executive Committee
Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President & Chairman thanking all participants for making time to attend the meeting.
On 24 to 28 May 2021, the ASEAN-Japan Business Week held a series of virtual webinars. Hosted by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan Business Federation (JBF, Keidanren), Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI), ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), ASEAN-JAPAN Business Council (AJBC), Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), AEM-METI Economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee (AMEICC) Secretariat, the ASEAN-Japan Business Week also showcased various supporting business organisations from ASEAN nations.
Southeast Asia has always been at the heart of international business for many Japanese companies, and it has become even more important for the latter to respond flexibly and rapidly to the massive transformation such as “digitalization” and “green growth” in the region.
ASEAN-Japan Business Week was designed to give participants an opportunity to get a better understanding of the latest trends around ASEAN businesses and its future potential that spans across various sectors. The keywords of this event are “Innovation” and “Sustainability”, which are in alignment with “Dialogue for Innovative and Sustainable Growth (DISG)”, launched last year with endorsement by Economic Ministers from ASEAN and Japan.
During the Business Week, executives of leading companies had talked about their vision and initiatives with concrete examples, and a wide range of experts from various fields had discussed on how to accelerate and expand their initiatives.
PROGRAMME OUTLINE:
The outline of the 5-day programme (in Jakarta Time (UTC+7) were as follows.
For more details on the programme and the participating speakers, please click on the following link:
Time: 13:00 pm – 14:00 pm ~ Establishing New Partnership between Japan and Southeast Asia
Time 14:00 pm – 16:00 pm ~ Transforming Southeast Asia, Transforming Japanese Business
Day 2: May 25, 2021 (Tuesday)
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am ~ SDGs and Business Contribution in Southeast Asia
Time: 12:00 pm – 14:00 pm ~ Growing Opportunity for SMEs in ASEAN region
Day 3: May 26, 2021 (Wednesday)
Time: 11:00 am – 15:00 am ~ Promoting Green Business for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia
Day 4: May 27, 2021 (Thursday)
Time: 10:15 am – 11:45 am ~ International Politics and Economics Surrounding Southeast Asia: Perspectives on its relationship with the US and China
Time: 12:30 pm – 14:00 pm ~ From SEA: Business Opportunities and Challenges in ASEAN region in post-Covid-19
Day 5: May 28, 2021 (Friday)
Time: 11:00 am – 13:00 pm ~ Southeast Asia Start-ups in the three hottest fields – DX Platform Program
Time: 13:30 pm – 14:45pm ~ New Business Opportunities in BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Sector in Thailand
Day 1 (24th May) highlighted the importance of “Innovation” and “Sustainability” for future win-win relationship between ASEAN and Japan. This was echoed in the speeches of the main speakers and also key figures from Japanese and businesses that expressed their expectations and hope such as increased sustainable investments and heightened digitalisation based on the theme of “Transforming Southeast Asia, Transforming Japanese Business”.
Day 2 (25th May) saw two sessions focused on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Co-organised by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and RIETI, the first session entitled “SDGs and Business Contribution in Southeast Asia” was joined by experts from ISEAS and Japanese companies and gave their insightful thoughts. The second session led by JCCI included several speakers from Japanese MSMEs that shared their knowledge about business in SEA and gave suggestions for other Japanese MSMEs to find new business opportunities in the region.
On Day 3 (26th May), the session entitled “Promoting Green Business for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia” had discussed the importance of Asia Transition Finance, new prospects and commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for the manufacturing industry as well as ASEAN-Japan cooperation in sustainable growth and green business. This was followed by two panel discussions whose themes were “The importance on Asia Transition Finance” and “Exploring New Business Opportunity in Southeast Asia and the Commitment to Achieve Carbon Neutrality for the Manufacturing Industry”.
Day 4 (27th May) saw discussions on international politics and economics surrounding Southeast Asia, especially from the perspectives on its relationship with the US and China. JETRO had organised another session where presidents of JETRO branches in the ASEAN region presented the latest business information of each country which was elaborated under the theme of “New Trends of Innovation and Sustainability in the Post-COVID-19 Era & Direction toward ASEAN-Japan further Collaboration”.
On Day 5 (28th May), JETRO had organized two special sessions. For the first one, ASEAN start-ups from various fields had delivered pitch presentations to introduce their innovations and ideas while aiming further collaboration with Japanese companies. In succession, at the end of ASEAN-Japan business week, a session entitled “New Business Opportunities in BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Sector in Thailand” was held. The “BCG Economy” was introduced as Thailand’s new national policy followed by a panel discussion on how to expand BCG business in Thailand for Japanese businesses.
Archived video recordings of the various presentations can be found on the AMEICC website via the following link:
Mr Iwadare Yoshihiko, Associate Professor, J. F. Oberlin University giving his Keynote Speech on Business Opportunities in ASEAN region in post-COVID-19 Era during Session 2, Day 2.
Speakers during Panel Discussion for Session 1, Day 2. (Clockwise, from top left) Mr Iwadare Yoshihiko, Mr Tsuji Akihisa, Mr Fujimoto Kohei, Mr Tsuboi Iwao, Mr Ito Masahiko, Mr Yamada Hiroshi, Mr Sakata Kohki.
Speakers during Panel Discussion for Session 2, Day 3. (Clockwise, from top left) Mr Wada Yuhei, Mr Kobori Hideki, Mr Ogawa Tatsuo, Mr Fujisawa Hideaki, Mr Seto Kinya, Mr Toriihara Shunji.
Mr Gerard B. Sanvictores, Chairman, The Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee giving his Opening Message during Session 2, Day 4.
Tan Sri Dato’ Soh Thian Lai, President, The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) giving his Opening Message during Session 2, Day 4.
Speakers during Panel Discussion for Session 2, Day 5. (Clockwise, from top left) Mr Wada Yuhei, Ms Yurugi Yoshiko, Mr Kubota Yasuhiro, Mr Miwa Motokazu, Mr Sekiyama Kazuhide.
On 6 April 2021, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur organised an online investment forum titled ‘Malaysia in its Present State’ over Zoom, alongside the co-organisers, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). MAJECA and its counterpart, JAMECA were supporting organisations for this event.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, there has been transformation in supply chains and business models worldwide. Malaysia has not been spared from this pandemic. There has been changes in its investment environment with the implementation of various restrictions such as the Movement Control Order (MCO), which have halted economic activities and restricted daily movements of its people.
This forum comprises 2 sessions. Session I covered the general investment environment in Malaysia, focusing on promoted sectors in Malaysia, manufacturing industry of high value-added products, digital industry, as well as regional headquarters. The speakers at the forum comprised of the Malaysian government and Japanese companies based in Malaysia who spoke on topics relating to the latest investment environment and available government incentives.
Session II, focused on the state of Johor, particularly on the economic corridor of “Iskandar Malaysia”. This session highlighted the investment opportunities, its digital ecosystem and explaining the recent trends of the Japanese companies operating in this corridor.
<PROGRAMME OUTLINE>
Date: April 6, 2021 (Tuesday)
Time: From 14:00 pm onwards (Malaysia time) / from 15:00 pm onwards (Japan time)
Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry Japan (METI), The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Malaysia (JACTIM), The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA), Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA).
Moderator: Ms. Mai Onozawa, Managing Director of JETRO Kuala Lumpur
Time (MY)
14:00 – 14:10
–
Opening Remarks by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin bin Ali, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade & Industry Malaysia (MITI)
14:10 – 14:15
Welcoming Remarks by H.E. Hiroshi Oka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Malaysia
14:15 – 14:30
Topic: Malaysia’s Investment Policy by Mr. Ahmad Khairuddin Bin Abdul Rahim, Deputy Chief Executive Officer II (DCEO II) of MIDA
14:30 – 14:40
Topic: Digital Transformation between Malaysia and Japan by Mr. Hideaki Fujisawa, Director, Asia and Pacific Division, Trade Policy Bureau of METI, Japan
14:40 – 14:50
Q&A Session
14:50 – 15:25
Panel Discussion “Malaysia in its new light”
Moderator: Mr. Hironobu Kitagawa, Executive VP of JETRO
Panelist:
Mr. Hideyuki Yoshida
MD of Konica Minolta Business Technologies (M) S/B
15:25 – 15:30
Closing Remarks for Session I by Mr. Nobuhiko Sasaki, Chairman & CEO of JETRO
15:30 – 15:40
Break
Session II: “Attractiveness of the Investment Environment in Johor”
Supported by: MITI, MIDA, Embassy of Japan in Malaysia
Moderator: Mr. Yamada Takayoshi, JETRO Kuala Lumpur
15:40 – 16:00
Topic: Investment Environment in Johor & Incentives for Promoted Sector by Mr. Engku Ahmad Kamel, Director Economics & Investment of Iskandar Reginal Development Authority (IRDA)
16:00 – 16:20
Topic: Digital Ecosystem in Johor & the latest updates on Blockchain Village by Mr. Zulfiqar Zainuddin, Managing Director of IIB Ventures Sdn Bhd
16:20 – 16:40
Topic: Corporate trends among Japanese companies in Johor & the Introduction of MEDINI projects by Mr. Yasuhiro Nakano, Executive Vice President of MEDINI ISKANDAR Malaysia
16:40 – 16:50
Q&A Session
END
This timely online investment forum reflected the strong interest from the business communities in both Malaysia and Japan towards seeing a reinvigoration of the bilateral trade relations and momentum between the nations.
This forum coincides with the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) between JETRO and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) to further strengthen bilateral trade promotion and collaboration. This partnership was signed during the second leg of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s trade and investment mission to South Korea and Japan on Monday, 5 April 2021. (Source: The Malay Mail, 6 April 2021, https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2021/04/06/matrade-japan-external-trade-organisation-sign-moc-to-strengthen-bilateral/1964171)
The opening remarks of YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Senior Minister, Minister of International Trade and Industry can be viewed from the MITI website here:
The 1st MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Webinar was held on 22 October 2020 over Zoom, in lieu of the postponed physical meeting for the 38th MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference due to the COVID19 pandemic. 120 participants representing MAJECA and JAMECA members, government officials, industry leaders, visionaries and entrepreneurs joined the webinar.
MAJECA-JAMECA Webinar on Malaysia-Japan Collaboration on Digitalisation on Thursday, 22 October 2020 from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm (Malaysian time)
2.00 pm – 2.10 pm
Webinar starts.
Welcome address:
Mr Kazuto Sasaki, Secretary-General, JAMECA
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA
2.10 pm – 2.20 pm
Digital Malaysia – Mr Hew Wee Choong, Vice President, Investment Development, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) – status, incentives, programmes, successful digitalization efforts.
2.20 pm – 2.30 pm
Malaysia Lighthouse Project – Mr Norhizam Ibrahim, Director, Advanced Technology and Research & Development Division, MIDA
2.30 pm – 2.40 pm
Asia Digital Transformation (ADX) Program – Ms. Mai Onozawa, Managing Director, JETRO Kuala Lumpur.
Presentations by Japanese & Malaysian companies.
Moderator: Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng, Hon. Secretary, MAJECA
2.40 pm – 2.50 pm
1. Toy Eight Holdings Co (Japan) – Mr Masaki Ishibashi, Founder, CEO.
Japan’s experiential edutainment playground, backed by AI technology that was developed by ex-MIT researchers, creative directors and educators with the premise that all children are born with talent. The programme seeks to uncover their natural-born talent and maximize their learning.
2.50 pm – 3.00 pm
2. SmartDrive Inc (Japan) – Mr Retsu Kitagawa, CEO
SmartDrive has developed a unique vertically integrated business from mobility data sensors to mobility data utilization and service development, all based on its mobility data platform which is open and connected to customers and partners around the world.
3.00 pm – 3.10 pm
3. iPay88 Malaysia – Mr Hiroshi Saito, Director
iPay88 Holdings Sdn Bhd is ASEAN’s leading payment company. Since 2006, iPay88 has successfully provided e-commerce and online payment services to more than 15,000 merchants regionally and globally. In 2015, NTT DATA, a Japanese system integration company, acquired iPay88.
As one of the global innovators, NTT DATA has been striving to establish a framework through which it can provide its diverse services worldwide, and support its customers’ needs. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, iPay88 has presence in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and more recently in Bangladesh. iPay88 also has presence in Hong Kong, China and Japan through its collaboration with NTT Data. iPay88 currently engages over 230 professionals across its offices. Backed by strong partnerships with over 100 local and international financial institutions, our state-of-the-art payment solutions have assisted and built up thousands of successful entrepreneurs in the e-commerce and m-commerce space
3.10 pm – 3.20 pm
4. Medini Iskandar Malaysia – Mr Shafique Iqbal, Vice-President, Strategic Marketing, Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
Incorporated in 2007, Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MIM) is the master developer of 2,230-acres of land in a thriving urban township located in the southern tip of Johor; a township that is envisaged to become the central business district of Iskandar Puteri. Since its inception, MIM has undergone a continuous evolution. The company began as a master planner and infrastructure manager, niche developer focusing on commercial offices and providing value-added township management services as well as becoming the front-runner in the development of a smart and sustainable city.
JF Technology Berhad designs, develops and provides high performance test interface solutions to its global customers for Semiconductor Integrated Circuits (IC) test. JF Technology is one of the leading Patents and Intellectual Property (IP) owner in its technology solutions which are used to test a wide variety of IC applications that includes 5G, Internet of Things (IOT), Automotive, Consumer Electronics and others.
3.30 pm – 3.55 pm
Q&A
3.55 pm – 4.00 pm
Closing remarks by JAMECA and MAJECA
MAJECA and JAMECA had been focused on promoting the Innovative Technologies Sectors over the past few years. Industry 4.0 (IR4.0) had led to the introduction of systems that are capable of independently creating algorithms and processing data that guide business decisions. Such advancements in technology are actively disrupting and impacting business operations in every field.
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic had prioritised and accelerated the pace of adoption of these technologies by businesses of all sizes to remain competitive. In lieu of this, businesses have had to, and are called to adapt, to remain competitive and sustainable in this changing climate.
Taking cognizance that businesses need to adopt market-driven technological innovations to be able to compete effectively in the global marketplace, MAJECA, together with its counterpart, JAMECA, was privileged to collaborate with Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and The National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) to organise this webinar.
Continuing with the momentum generated by last year’s 37th Joint Conference and cognisant of the need to continue the efforts to facilitate the ever-important bilateral economic ties with Japan, particularly in the digital sector, the theme of the virtual conference focused on “Malaysia-Japan Collaboration on Digitalisation”.
MAJECA was led by its Vice President, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, while JAMECA was led by Mr Kazuto Sasaki, Secretary-General, who both gave their welcome address. Mr Hanyu of JAMECA served as the master of ceremonies for the webinar. H.E. Hiroshi Oka, Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia and the Japan Embassy’s Economic Counselor, Mr Nakagawa also participated in this webinar.
Welcome Address by Representatives of MAJECA and JAMECA
Mr Kazuto Sasaki, Secretary-General, JAMECA, giving his Welcome Address
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, giving his Welcome Address
The first part of the webinar began with presentations by three role players in facilitating Malaysia-Japan collaboration from the policy standpoint. This session was made possible by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur.
Topics and presenters:
1) Digital Malaysia
Mr Hew Wee Choong, Vice President, Investment Development, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
2) Malaysia Lighthouse Project
Mr Norhizam Ibrahim, Director, Advanced Technology and Research & Development Division, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)
3)Asia Digital Transformation (ADX) Project
Ms Mai Onozawa, Managing Director, JETRO Kuala Lumpur
The second part of the Webinar moderated by MAJECA’s Hon. Secretary, Tan Sri Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng proceeded with presentations by two (2) Japanese & three (3) Malaysian companies sharing their digitalisation insights.
Tan Sri Dr Michael Yeoh Oon Kheng introducing the speakers
The 46th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) was, in a historic first, held virtually over Zoom. The virtual conference saw the participation of more than 250 attendees comprising ASEAN & Japanese business leaders and their fraternity, representatives of Chambers of Commerce, government agencies, universities and research organisations.
MAJECA, representing AJBM Malaysia, hosted the 46th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting (AJBM) on 17 March 2021 (Virtual Conference) with our co-host Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives). 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.
This conference continues to be an important platform for building partnerships between ASEAN and Japanese companies. Over the years, this conference has addressed many themes that had brought about successful bilateral and multilateral business collaborations between Japanese and ASEAN companies.
As nations continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need for sustainable collaborative efforts and digitally-forward solutions to ensure business continuity for economies to remain on track.
The 46th AJBM brought together key business leaders from Japan and ASEAN to share and exchange insights on their respective COVID-19 pandemic experiences. In line with the theme of the virtual conference, ‘New Relationship between ASEAN and Japan in the “New Normal” post COVID-19’, all the speakers across the business private sector from both Japan and ASEAN emphasied the imperative need to stay resilient by rebuilding through innovation centered on digital transformation.
The Opening Session was moderated by Mr Nobuhide Hayashi, Co-Chairman, 46th AJBM (Japan), who introduced the line-up of eminent speakers.
Mr Nobuhide Hayashi,
Co-Chairman, 46th AJBM (Japan) introducing the speakers for the Opening Session. He also moderated a brief Q & A section here.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim,
Chairman, 46th AJBM (Malaysia) and President, MAJECA giving his welcome remarks.
Mr Kengo Sakurada,
Chairman, Keizai Doyukai, giving his opening remarks.
H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi,
Secretary-General of ASEAN, delivering his keynote address.
In his address, H.E. Dato Lim affirmed the role of the private sector in generating greater sustainable progress in the ASEAN Economic Community, highlighting that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was an example of how ASEAN rallied to ensure the openness of the markets to build regional resilience, especially in light of the pandemic. Further, the Secretary-General emphasised the importance of digital transformation to the region as seen in the ASEAN Digital Master Plan 2025 and the ASEAN Digital Integration Framework Action Plan 2025.
H.E. Dato Lim called for the private sector to collaborate in these following areas:
1. Supporting business continuity by maximising cross-border productive activities
2. Restoring supply chain and trade connectivity by leveraging digital technologies
3. Mobilising resource for recovery
Mr Takehiko Nakao,
Chairman, Mizuho Research Institute Ltd (Former President, the Asian Development Bank) in his keynote address.
Mr Nakao elucidated his optimism for a post-pandemic ASEAN accrediting the resilient growth of the ASEAN nations to several factors which includes investment in infrastructure, education and health, as well as the external-oriented trade and investment regime. Emphasising on the important role of ASEAN as a platform for international cooperation, Mr Nakao views RCEP as a new basis for stronger ASEAN-Japan partnership.
Mr Nakao noted that areas for ASEAN-Japan partnership can be engaged via greater use of digital technologies, review of supply chains, tackling of social issues and pursuit of renewable energy and energy conservation for climate actions.
Plenary Session 1
The first plenary session titled – New opportunities in the “new normal”: new industry & business possibilities responding to social challenges, was moderated by Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, AJBM Malaysia & Vice-President of MAJECA.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal,
AJBM Malaysia and Vice-President of MAJECA, moderated Plenary Session 1.
Dr Nobuhiro Endo,
Chairman, NEC Corporation
Mr Fernando Zobel de Ayala,
President, Ayala Corporation
Mr Taro Shimada,
Vice President & Chief Digital Officer, Toshiba Corporation
Mr Patrick Tang,
Vice President, APAC, SIGOS
Plenary Session 2
The second plenary session titled Rebuilding the value chain in Asia during/after COVID19, was split across two sub-topics namely: Japanese companies’ value chain strategy in Asia, and new regional strategy of ASEAN companies. Mr Shazali Sulaiman, AJBM Brunei was moderator for this plenary session.
Mr Shazali Sulaiman,
AJBM Brunei moderated Plenary Session 2.
For the sub-topic of Japanese companies’ value chain strategy in Asia, the speakers are as follows:
Mr Hiroki Totoki,
Executive Deputy President & CFO, Sony Corporation
Mr Joji Tagawa,
Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer, Nissan Motor Corporation
The speakers for new regional strategy of ASEAN companies were:
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes,
Non-Independent Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Group Berhad
Mr Kettivit Sittisoontornwong,
CEO, LEO Global Logistics Public Company Limited
Plenary Session 3
This session showcased the innovative solutions and opportunities for collaborative efforts between ASEAN and Japan, titled ‘Co-creating innovation for overcoming social issues’. Mr Naoaki Mashita, CEO, V-cube Inc was the moderator for this session. This session featured three ASEAN & four Japanese companies whose presentations were relevant to the four sub-themes of this session which were:
Supporting the resilience of society
Supplying sustainable energy
Enhancing social inclusion & access to opportunities
Supporting people’s health and well-being
These four sub-themes were aimed at touching on key relevant industry sectors that are digitally-emergent and / or necessary for sustainable development in the ASEAN region and in Japan. These industry sectors comprise infrastructure, disaster prevention, renewable energy, finance, fintech and medical/healthcare.
Mr Naoaki Mashita,
CEO, V-cube. Inc, moderated Plenary Session 3.
The speakers of Plenary Session 3 were as follows:
Mr Goh Peng Ooi,
Chairman, Silverlake Axis Sdn Bhd
Dr Pun-Arj Chairatana,
Executive Director, National Innovation Agency of Thailand
Dr Anand Prasad,
Founder & CEO, wenovator
Mr Yoshinobu Osaka,
Member of the Board, Director of Challenergy Inc.
Dr Tatsuhiro Nomaguchi,
Manager, International Business Department,
Metabologenomics, Inc. and President CEO, Metagen Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Mr Ryuhei Sadoshima,
CEO and Founder of Safie Inc.
Mr Yoshitaka Yamamuro,
Director, Asia Digital Transformation Policy Office Minister’s Secretariat,
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
Wrap-up and Recommendations
The moderators of the three plenary sessions gave their wrap-up and key learnings from the conference proceedings.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal,
AJBM Malaysia & Vice-President, MAJECA, moderator for Plenary Session 1.
Mr Shazali Sulaiman,
AJBM Brunei, moderator for Plenary Session 2.
Mr Naoaki Mashita,
CEO, V-cube Inc, moderator for Plenary Session 3.
Closing Session
The Chairman of the 46th AJBM (Malaysia) & President of MAJECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim gave his closing remarks.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim,
Chairman, 46th AJBM (Malaysia) and President of MAJECA
giving his closing remarks.
Following that, his Co-Chairman of the 46th AJBM (Japan), Mr Nobuhide Hayashi delivered his closing remarks and announced the host of the 47th edition of this ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting.
Mr Nobuhide Hayashi,
Co-Chairman, 46th AJBM (Japan)
delivering his Closing Remarks & Announcement
Philippines, as incumbent host & chairman of the 47th AJBM, represented by Mr Gerard B. Sanvictores, Chairman, Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc. (PHILJEC), gave his acceptance speech announcing that the 47th edition is slated for 2022, hoping for an in-person meeting then. To keep up to date with the development of the 47th ASEAN-Japan Business Meeting, please visit PHILJEC’s homepage at:
Chairman, Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc. (PHILJEC),
giving his acceptance speech
Networking Sessions
Committed to the spirit of networking and a more intimate exchange of insights in spite of the distance and limitations caused by the pandemic, Zoom Meeting Rooms were opened at set points throughout the conference as an avenue for attendees to peruse to meet, network and exchange greetings with other attendees, leveraging the audiovisual features of the Zoom Meeting platform.
Additionally, an exclusive Zoom Meeting session was opened before the event proper for networking amongst the panelists, VIPs, sponsors and select members of the 46 AJBM. Greetings and reflections of the past year and the pandemic were shared amongst the participants in this meeting room.
Gallery
A rehearsal for the conference was conducted on 11 March 2021 for the panelists, with the AJBM Steering Committee members in attendance.
A rehearsal for the conference was conducted on 11 March 2021 for the panelists, with the AJBM Steering Committee members in attendance.
A wrap-up session after the rehearsal was held between the Secretariats of Keizai Doyukai and MAJECA, representing AJBM Malaysia.
The setting-up of the digital equipment for the virtual conference at the Banquet Hall of the AmBank Group Building.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim and the MAJECA Secretariat viewing the conference proceedings together in the Banquet Hall of AmBank Group Building, where the virtual conference was hosted digitally.
The technical team of the virtual conference.
An exclusive Zoom Meeting session was opened before the event proper begins for networking amongst the panelists, VIPs, sponsors and select members of the 46 AJBM.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim, alongside Tan Sri Dr Michael Yeoh viewing the conference proceedings together in the Banquet Hall of AmBank Group Building.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim, alongside Tan Sri Dr Michael Yeoh viewing the conference proceedings together in the Banquet Hall of AmBank Group Building.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim giving his welcome address.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim thanking the AJBM Steering Committee, panelists and sponsors in his closing address.
This virtual conference was made possible through the extensive efforts and cooperation from our co-host, Keizai Doyukai, the AJBM Steering Committees across ASEAN, the speakers and moderators, attendees and sponsors, namely, Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd., Silverlake Axis Sdn Bhd and AmBank Group Berhad.
Yanmar is active in every part of the planet earth that touches lives. Yanmar maintains an unparalleled reputation for reliability and efficiency based on the strength of its technologies in these domains.
Silverlake began as a specialist in the replacement of legacy to large-scale core banking systems and is regarded today as one of the most significant Banking and Financial solutions and services provider in the Asia Pacific region.
AmBank Group comprises is one of the largest banking groups in Malaysia whose core businesses are retail banking, wholesale banking, Islamic banking, and life and general insurance.
MAJECA representing AJBM Malaysia would like to record its utmost appreciation to all our partners who made this event possible.
The 2nd MAJECA-JAMECA Webinar on Malaysia-Japan Collaboration on Digital Creative Content Sector, co-organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), supported by the Digital Content Association of Japan (DCAJ), Visual Industry Promotion Organisation (VIPO) and the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM), was held on 27th January 2021 over Zoom. The webinar garnered more than 330 registrants and 300 attended the webinar. These attendees came from various business sectors, organisations and agencies from Malaysia and Japan.
Leveraging the advances and opportunities of digitalisation and IR4.0, the Digital Creative Content sector continues to grow to reach a wider audience. This webinar was aimed at highlighting the value and expanding business potential of the digital creative content sector, along with available incentives and ongoing initiatives for businesses and its resultant opportunities along its entire value chain. The webinar brought together Japanese and Malaysian companies to share their journey, insights and experiences in the digital creative content sector. Participants of this webinar were able to appraise and realise the value creation possibilities of digital creative content sector based on the insights gained from our various speakers.
MATRADE in their presentation highlighted a few key areas of the digital creative content sector of Malaysia:
Malaysia’s Digital Exports totalled of RM 6.9 billion (ICTSA 2019).
Malaysian video game market generated revenue of US$443 million in 2018, with a forecast CAGR of 4.8% to reach US$561 million by 2023. (PWC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2019-2023).
20.1 million Malaysian gamers spending USD 673 million on Video Games alone in 2019.
Local animation studios’ works have a translated export of RM 170 million and a presence in more than 120 countries.
330 studios directly involved in various stages of production and development with 10,000 job created.
Malaysia is leader of IP creation in Southeast Asia and regional outsourcing destination for animation & video games.
Attractive location for business development and closer in terms of geography and animation/game culture as well cost efficiency.
Talent with multi-lingual background and cultural influences from both the East and West.
Less time difference.
The webinar programme was as follows:
Welcome Address
The video above is only available in Japanese.
Mr Kazuto Sasaki, Secretary-General of Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA) giving his welcome address.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President of Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA) delivering his opening speech.
Plenary Session 1
The theme for this session was “Overview and Initiatives for the Digital Creative Content Sectors in Malaysia and Japan”. Panelists from Malaysia comprised of the Mr Niqman Rafee M. Sahar, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Japan and Mr Mohan Low, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), while the panelists from Japan were Ms Miki Iwai, Digital Content Association of Japan (DCAJ) and Mr Kentaro Tsuchida, Visual Industry Promotion Organisation (VIPO).
Topics and presenters:
1) Introduction of Malaysia-Japan Bilateral Trade and Opportunities in the Digital Creative Content Sector in the Region
– Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Japan
The second half of the webinar was themed “Success Stories, Common Challenges, Collaboration and Partnership Opportunities”. Four companies shared their experiences these included, two Malaysian companies with a strong clientele in Japan and two world-renowned Japanese companies operating in Malaysia. The two Malaysian companies, Glow Production and Streamline Studios are also active participants in one of MATRADE’s trade promotion programmes, Tokyo Game Show (TGS). They also highlighted the effectiveness of participating in TGS to boost up their business expansion to Japan and the region.
This session was moderated by Mr Naim Abdul Rahman (pic below), Director of Electrical & Electronics, ICT and Machinery & Equipment Section, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).
Mr Naim Abdul Rahman, the moderator for the session, introducing the speakers.
The webinar proceeded with a Zoom poll and Q & A session moderated by Mr Naim Abdul Rahman, Director of Electrical & Electronics, ICT and Machinery & Equipment Section, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).
Closing Remarks
The webinar ended with closing remarks (below) from Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA, and Mr Kazuto Sasaki, Secretary General, JAMECA.
Closing Address by Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, MAJECA
Closing Address by Mr Kazuto Sasaki, Secretary-General, JAMECA
The video above is only available in Japanese.
MAJECA would like to place on record our utmost appreciation to our co-organisers JAMECA, MATRADE and MDEC, as well as our supporting organiser DCAJ, VIPO and PIKOM for their efforts in bringing about this successful webinar.
The 11th Asian Business Summit (ABS) was held on 6th November 2020 over Zoom, with the participation of 14 business organizations representing 12 Asian Economies. Malaysia was represented by MAJECA through its three executives, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice-President, with Tan Sri Dr Michael Yeoh, Hon. Secretary in attendance.
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Programme
The 11th Asian Business Summit / Digital Conference Agenda (Final)
Date: November 6th, 2020
12:00-16:30 (Malaysian Time)
13:00 – 17:30 (Tokyo Time)
hosted by Keidanren, Japan
*Japanese / English simultaneous interpretation
Moderator: Mr. Masakazu Kubota, Director General, Keidanren
12:00-12:20 MYT
13:00-13:20 JT
Opening Session
Opening Remarks: Mr. Nobuyuki Koga, Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren
Guest Speech: Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy and Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization
12:20-13:30 MYT
13:20-14:30 JT
Plenary Session I : Impact of COVID-19 & Challenges for post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery in member economies and Asia
Session Moderator: Mr. Satoshi Mukuta, Senior Managing Director, Keidanren
Speakers: 5 Min / each
Mr. Nobuyuki Koga
Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren
Mr. Kalin Sarasin
Chairman, The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB)
Mr. Zhang Shaogang
Vice Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
Mr. Uday Kotak
President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Mr. Rosan Perkasa Roeslani
Chairman, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN)
Mr. Tae-shin Kwon
Vice Chairman & CEO, Federation of Korean Industries (FKI)
Tan Sri. Azman Hashim
President, Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA)
Mr. Aye Tun
Joint Secretary General, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)
Mr Nobuyuki Koga, Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren giving his opening remarks.
Mr Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of State for Economics and Fiscal Policy and Minister in charge of Economic Revitalisation giving his guest speech via video message.
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Plenary Session 1
This session was titled “Impact of COVID-19 & Challenges for post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery in member economies and Asia”.
10. Mr Ho Meng Kit, CEO, Singapore Business Federation (SBF)
11. Dr Huang Mao-Hsiung, Honorary Chairman, Chinese East Asia Economic Association (CEAEA), Taiwan
12. Dr Vu Tien Loc, Chairman & President, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)
The President of MAJECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim sharing his insights.
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Plenary Session 2
The second plenary session was titled “Challenges facing Asia”, and was split into four parts which were: trade policy, infrastructure, digitalization, and, environment and energy respectively.
This session was moderated by Mr Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren.
The speakers for each session were as follows:
Trade Policy
From top-left, clockwise:
1.Mr Tae-shin Kwon, Vice Chairman & CEO, Federation of Korean Industries (FKI)
2.Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
3.Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal,Vice President, Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA)
4.Mr Shigeru Hayakawa, Vice Chair, Keidanren
Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice President of MAJECA speaking on the Trade Policy panel during Plenary Session 2.
2.Infrastructure
From top-left, clockwise:
1.Mr Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Chairman, Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN)
2.Mr Chartchai Panichewa, Vice-Chairman, The Federation of Thai Industries
3.Mr Ye Min Aung, Vice President, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)
4.Mr Tatsuo Yasunaga, Vice Chair, Keidanren
Digitalization
From right to left:
1.Mr Zhu Hongren, Standing Vice Chairman, China Enterprise Confederation (CEC)
2.Dr Huang Mao-Hsiung, Honorary Chairman, Chinese East Asia Economic Association (CEAEC), Taiwan
3.Mr Ferdinand A. Ferrer, Treasurer, Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee (PHILJEC)
4.Mr Kobsak Duangdee, Secretary General, The Thai Bankers’ Association
5.Mr Kenichiro Yamanishi, Vice Chair, Keidanren
Environment and Energy
Mr Kao Kuo-Lun, Vice Chairman, Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC), Taiwan
Mr Hitoshi Ochi, Vice Chair, Keidanren
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Following the end of the plenary sessions, the summit proceeded with an exchange of views with Mr Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren continuing as moderator.
A collage of various role players exchanging their views and insights.
(from top-left, clockwise): Mr Ken Kobayashi, Vice Chair of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren; Chair of the Japan-Indonesia Economic Committee & Japan-Myanmar Economic Committee; Chairman of the Board, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mr Tatsuo Yasunaga, Vice Chair, Keidanren; President and CEO, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc., Mr Shinya Katanozaka, Vice Chair, Keidanren; President & CEO, ANA Holdings Inc., Mr Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren, Mr Kenichiro Yamanishi, Vice Chair, Keidanren; Executive Corporate Adviser, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mr Takashi Yamauchi, Vice Chair, Keidanren; Chairman, Member of the Board, Taisei Corporation, Mr Nobuyuki Hirano, Vice Chair, Keidanren; Chairman, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., and Mr Ho Meng Kit, CEO, Singapore Business Federation (SBF).
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The 11th Asian Business Summit reached its conclusion with the presentation of the Joint Statement and a group photo of the remaining members.
The 11th Asian Business Summit Joint Statement
On November 6, 2020, the 11th Asian Business Summit was held online with the participation of 14 business organizations representing 12 Asian Economies.
The global coronavirus pandemic has stifled business activities and created a set of extremely challenging conditions for the world economy. At this time, all members of the Asian business community should work closely and collaboratively with their governments and multilateral institutions to address and overcome these challenges. It was with this backdrop in mind that participants in the 11th Asian Business Summit gathered to discuss economic and industrial strategies for the current and post-pandemic eras as well as issues on regional cooperation in Asia.
The Summit began with a series of presentations by participating business organizations, which shared information on the status of the coronavirus pandemic in each economy and the countermeasures which their governments, business communities, and corporate sectors have implemented in response.
In the interest of protecting the lives, jobs, and livelihoods of their citizens, as well as their economies, we call on the governments of Asian economies to take prudent action aimed at balancing economic activities with measures to halt the expansion of the pandemic through the establishment of robust frameworks for the provision of needed medical care, stable delivery of medical supplies, and enhancement of support for businesses and workers. As members of the Asian business community, we are committed to assuming an active role, fully utilizing the resources at our command, and working together to achieve sustained business operations and employment levels as well as diversify and reinforce our supply chains.
It is imperative that we build from that foundation and transform the harsh realities of the current and post-pandemic eras into opportunities for further sustained growth. This Summit provided a forum to deepen our discussions on trade policy, infrastructure development, digitalization, environment, energy, and other issues confronting the Asian economy in the sphere of cooperation. As an outcome of that discussion, we arrived at a consensus on the importance of the following.
First, it is vital that we sustain and strengthen the free and open international economic system. To that end, efforts should be made to promote regional economic integration through early conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement and the expansion of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). It is necessary to re-establish and enhance connectivity within the region disrupted by the pandemic through both qualitative and quantitative advances in infrastructure development. Furthermore, we will need progress in digital transformation (DX) through data free flow with trust and other growth strategies adapted to the “new normal” as well as promotion of RD&D and finance on environmental and energy technologies aimed at transition to a decarbonized society. To address these challenges, we are committed to speeding up our efforts through cooperation and call for measures in inter- and intra-governmental coordination.
Moving forward, we will continue to utilize the Asian Business Summit platform to discuss the issues facing Asia in fostering sustainable development and facilitate realization of the “Society 5.0 for SDGs” concept.
Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA), in collaboration with Malaysia South-South Association (MASSA), Alphaus Cloud and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) hosted a webinar on Cloud Computing which was attended by various members from MAJECA and MASSA. MAJECA and MASSA was represented by Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary of MAJECA and MASSA.
The webinar was entitled ‘The Best Time to Leverage on Cloud Technology: Take Your Business to Greater Heights’. This non-technical webinar aimed to equip decision-makers to use cloud technology for their business growth by optimizing the technology to their needs.
The Speakers at the webinar were:
Mr Mohd Atasha Alias, Director of Alphaus Cloud Sdn Bhd
Mr Tan Tze Meng, Head of Cloud and Data Centers at MDEC
Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary of MAJECA and MASSA gave the Welcome Address at the webinar.
Ms Ng Su Fun, Executive Secretary MAJECA and MASSA giving the Welcome Address
Mr Mohd Atasha Alias, is a Director of Alphaus Cloud, a leading software provider of Cloud Cost Management in Japan. Alphaus Cloud Sdn Bhd is a company founded in Malaysia, and it is from this business base that it is expanding across the Asia Pacific. He advises business leaders on how to thrive in the Digital Era, and helps business transform digitally from ‘brick and mortar’ to ‘click and mortar’ by leveraging his myriad connections along the digital value-chain of tools and services.
Mr Atasha’s presentation centred on answering the question – ‘What is Cloud’, and he also argued for cloud’s adoption as part of the new entrepreneurial mindset.
Mr Mohd Atasha Alias, Director fo Alphaus Cloud introducing cloud technology and arguing the case for adopting it
The second speaker was Mr Tan Tze Meng. He presented the comparison of advantages using Cloud technology vs. on-premise infrastructure and the total cost of ownership for decision-makers.
Mr Tan has been in the IT industry since 1986, and has an extensive portfolio in the field. His beginnings can be traced to his time at Telekom Malaysia, where he played a key role in launching TMNet in 1996. Mr Tan is the Head of Cloud and Data Centers at MDEC. His department is responsible for the ecosystem development in the digital economy.
MDEC’s Head of Cloud and Data Centers, Mr Tan Tze Meng’s case for adopting cloud technology by presenting the comparisons of the total cost of ownership for an IT project using cloud technology versus on-premise infrastructure.
After the presentations, the webinar held a series of polls, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Ms Rishanty Navaratnam of Alphaus Cloud.
To cap off the webinar, a virtual group photo session was held with the speakers, the webinar’s team and, the audience.
The webinar’s team (from left to right) Mr Mohd Atasha Alias – Alphaus Cloud, the MAJECA-MASSA team, Ms Rishanty Navaratnam – Alphaus Cloud and, Mr Tan Tze Meng – MDEC
MAJECA 
