The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) and The Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) co-organized "The Asia Young Scholars Forum 2025" in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 8, 2025. Since 2022, JIIA has been inviting promising young researchers (Fellows) from Asian countries to Japan, where they travel around the country and engage in discussions on global issues with government officials and experts, in a program designed to deepen mutual understanding. It was our pleasure to have all 10 of the former Fellows taking part in the Forum, and together with former ambassadors and experts in international relations, they engaged in lively discussions about the direction that Asian countries should take in the future, amid the rising tide of nationalism, populism, and protectionism around the world.

Prior to the Forum, on February 7, 2025, they had the opportunity to visit the ASEAN Secretariat, courtesy of Ambassador KIYA Masahiko of the Mission of Japan to ASEAN, where a lively question and answer session was held. The Fellows also visited PT Krama Yudha Ratu Motor (KRM), a truck assembly plant of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck, which has been producing commercial vehicles locally in Indonesia for over 50 years with technical transfer from Japan, and other spots for promoting the understanding of the history and culture of Indonesia.

Participants

Fellows:

Mr. Jikko Puzon, Independent Researcher, Former Research Manager, Stratbase ADR Institute, <Philippines>
Ms. Angeline Tan, Analyst, Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) <Malaysia>
Dr. Do Mai Lan, Principal Research Fellow, Institute for Strategic Studies, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Mr. Luigi Marlo Joble, Program Manager for APAC at Ernst & Young, and Consultant at White Rook Advisory<Philippines>
Dr. Anjali Kumari, Assistant Professor (Political Science), University of Delhi <India>
Mr. Pradeep Ranawaeera (online participant), Lecturer at the Department of Strategic Studies <Sri Lanka>
Dr. Arnab Dasgupta, Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses <India>
Dr. Lan Anh Nguyen Dang, Research Fellow, Institute for Chinese Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, <Vietnam>
Mr. Quang Hong Trieu, Research Fellow, Institute for South Asian, West Asian and African Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, <Vietnam>
Ms. Cindy A.F. Mandagi, Community Program and Events Manager, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) <Indonesia>

Moderators / Commentators:

Ambassador Masafumi Ishii, Fromer Ambassador of Japan to Indonesia, Ambassador of Japan to Belgium, Director General for Legal Advisor
Dr. Robert D. Eldridge, Senior Fellow, JIIA
Dr. Monika Chansoria, Senior Fellow, JIIA
Dr. Chisako T. Masuo, Professor, The Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, JIIA Adjunct Fellow
Ambassador Soemadi Brotodiningrat, Ambassador to Japan and Micronesia from 1998-2002
Ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, Ambassador to Australia and Vanuatu until 2017

JIIA

Mr. Masao Kochi, Managing Director, Center for Territory and History, Senior Research Fellow
Mr. Leo Tamamizu, Research Fellow, Center for Territory and History
Mr. Yuito Kimijima, Research Fellow, Center for Territory and History
Ms. Haruna Kuraishi, Junior Assistant Fellow, Center for Territory and History

@FPCI on February 8th (8/2/2025)

@FPCI on February 8th (8/2/2025) Angeline Tan(Malaysia), Luigi Marlo Joble (Philippines), Cindy Mandagi (Indonesia), Quang Trieu (Vietnam) -Clockwise-

@FPCI on February 8th (8/2/2025)

@Japanese ASEAN Ambassador Kiya's residence on February 7th (7/2/2025)

@PT KRAMA TUDHR RATU MOTOR (7/2/2025)