Birthplace Tokyo

Affiliation Member of the House of Representatives

Constituency Hiroshima 1st District

Tetsuya Watanabe is the President of ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia), located in Jakarta, Indonesia. Before joining ERIA, he was the Special Advisor to the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry. In his public service career of over 30 years, Watanabe has held the positions of Director General for the Trade Policy at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and Counsellor of the TPP Headquarters at the Cabinet Secretariat, where he was engaged in Japan’s major trade policy initiatives and negotiations in the TPP, RCEP, Japan-US Trade Agreement, Japan-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the WTO Reforms, among others. He has also served as Vice President of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade, and Industry (RIETI), one of Japan’s most prominent policy think tank. Watanabe is an alumnus of the University of Tokyo and Columbia Law School.

*ERIA is an International Organization established by the Leaders of East Asia Summit (EAS) Member countries in 2008. ERIA provides research and policy support to governments, businesses, and civil society in the ASEAN and East Asia region. ERIA works closely with the ASEAN Secretariat and other multilateral organisations.

Akimoto Uchikawa earned Master of Fiber Chemistry of Shinshu University. He joined Teijin Limited in 1990, starting his career in the Fiber and Textile Research Institute. After serving in various roles, he was seconded to Teijin Twaron B.V. in the Netherlands. Became the Manager of Aramid Product Development Section, Teijin Techno Products Limited in 2008, and from 2014 he served as the General Manager, Production, Research and Development Division, High-Performance Fibers Business Unit. He was appointed as Teijin Group Corporate Officer and Management Coordinator for the President, Material Business of Teijin Group in 2017. Became Executive Officer, Member of the Board and President, Material Business of Teijin Group in 2021, and in April 2022, assumed the position of President and CEO, Representative Director of the Board of Teijin Limited.

Since 2003, Yuki Isogai has been involved in private sector development in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, promoting investment by Japanese companies in private companies and government organizations. Her focus has been to engage in private sector development and public-private partnership projects in developing countries. Before joining a PwC member firm in 2011, she served as a private sector development specialist at the Africa Bureau of the World Bank. As technical lead of the PwC Japan Group’s Sustainability Center of Excellence, she is responsible for supporting clients in developing their sustainability vision and strategy, promoting sustainable business transformation, and building sustainability risk management systems, as well as addressing social issues through business and providing sustainable investment and financing support in developing countries. As a member of the Type II Financial Instruments Firms Association, she took the position of deputy chair of its working group on SDGs promoting discussion in this area. She was also an expert on the “Study Group on Impact Investing,” co-sponsored by the Financial Services Agency and the GSG Domestic Advisory board. In addition, she has supported financial sector organizations in the area of climate change risk and opportunity evaluation, and sustainability-related disclosures.

Mr Gan Kim Yong was appointed Deputy Prime Minister when the Lawrence Wong administration took office on May 15, 2024; he also serves as Minister of Trade and Industry, a post he assumed in May 2021. One of his key priorities is to identify new growth opportunities in support of Singapore’s continued economic development. Mr Gan is also Deputy Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore Board, and was co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce which directed and coordinated Singapore’s COVID-19 response until it stood down on 13 February 2023. From May 2011 to May 2021, Mr Gan was Minister for Health. He oversaw efforts to drive Healthcare 2020, a masterplan to ensure accessibility, quality and affordability of healthcare in Singapore. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Health invested significantly in building new healthcare infrastructure, and expanded the polyclinic and General Practitioner networks. Enhancements to long-term care financing measures were also launched, and a universal lifelong medical insurance was introduced. As Minister for Manpower from April 2008 to May 2011, Mr Gan led the ministry’s efforts to minimise mass retrenchments during the economic recession in 2009. He also played an instrumental role in the development of manpower policies to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business environment, and in building a Continuing Education and Training system for a globally competitive workforce. Mr Gan’s other previous appointments include Minister of State for Education and Minister of State for Manpower.

Mr. Thavisin was born on February 15, 1962. He’s a former Chief Executive Officer and President, Sansiri Public Company Limited, the main driving leader of the organization.

Before joining Sansiri, Mr. Thavisin worked for Procter & Gamble, a large multinational corporation manufacturers and distributors of fast-moving consumer products (FMCG).

While running Sansiri with a broad vision and a comprehensive approach to business management, Mr.Thavisin had driven Sansiri strength to strength for almost 40 years and had also created confidence in the Sansiri brand among consumers along with being a leader in the creation of various standard settings.

Mr. Thavisin has always been a keen observer of the country's social agendas and has given ideas to create various activities to strengthen the economic and social foundation for the nation in many aspects, especially in pushing for social changes, supporting equality and diversity including in many projects related to children and youth.

Mr Zandanshatar has served as the Chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia since February 2019. Under his leadership in 2020, the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia adopted national long-term development policy Vision-2050 which sets out a new direction of development for the next 30 years in line with the sustainable development goals and its fundamental principles.

His other previous roles include the State Minister & Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Vice Minister of Agriculture in the Government of Mongolia. He has been elected as a member of the parliament for the 4th term in 2020.

Mr Zandanshatar was trained in economics and finance at the Institute of National Economy (now Baikal State University) in Irkutsk, the Russian Federation. He was a visiting scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law from 2015-2016 where his research focused on the democratic process and political development of Mongolia.

Miki Sugimura is a professor of Comparative and International Education, Faculty of Human Sciences of Sophia University. She received M.Ed. and PhD from University of Tokyo. UNESCO Chair Holder on Education for Human Dignity, Peace and Sustainability. She is also a visiting professor of the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), a research fellow of Japan International Cooperation Agency Ogata Institute, a senior program officer of Research Center for Science Systems at Japan Society for the Promotion Science, Vice Chair of Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research (ProSPER.Net) and an associate member of Science Council of Japan. She was a member of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO (2016-2022), President of Japan Comparative Education Society (JCES) and a co-opt member of executive board of World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES) (2017-2023). She was also appointed to a member of the International Expert Group on the revision of the 1974 Recommendation by UNESCO in 2022. Her research topics are international higher education, multicultural education, and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Mr. Tae-won Chey serves as the Chairman of SK Inc which is the holding company in SK Group.

He oversees the 213 companies primarily focused on the semiconductors, telecommunications, energy, materials and bio-pharmaceutical industries that as of February, 2024 comprised SK Group.

He began his career in 1991 as Managing Director at Yukong Ltd., now known as SK Innovation, and was appointed Chairman and CEO of SK Group in 1998.

Mr. Chey continues to expand the group, which had combined sales of $150 billion in 2022, beyond the AsiaPacific region. SK was ranked 92nd in the Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s largest enterprises in 2023.

Mr. Chey also chairs the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“KCCI”), the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (“KFAS”), the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies and the Korea Handball Federation.

Mr. Chey holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Korea University and undertook postgraduate work in economics at the University of Chicago.

Tak Niinami is the Chief Executive Officer of Suntory Holdings, one of the world's leading consumer products companies with operations throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Tak spent the first 20 years of his career at Mitsubishi Corporation, where he held a number of management positions and founded Sodex Corporation (now LEOC Co.), a hospital food service joint venture between Mitsubishi and Sodexo of France, ultimately taking the company public in 1999. Prior to joining Suntory in 2014, Tak was CEO of Lawson, Inc., which he grew into one of Asia’s major convenience store operators, posting profit growth for 12 consecutive years and quadrupling its market capitalization during his tenure.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai was born on December 10, 1964 in Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam. He has an educational background in Economics and was awarded the Second-Class Labor Order. He has held various positions in the Party Central Committee and the National Assembly. His working history includes roles in LIKSIN Corporation, Foreign Trade and Development Center of Ho Chi Minh City, State Audit of Vietnam, and Bac Lieu Provincial Party Committee. In October 2020, he became a member of the Party Central Committee, Government Chief Inspector, and deputy to the 14th National Assembly. He was later elected as Deputy Prime Minister during the 11th working session of the 14th National Assembly.

Angeline Tan is an Analyst in the Foreign Policy & Security Studies Programme at ISIS Malaysia. Her research covers East Asia’s international relations, with a particular focus on China. She is interested in China’s foreign policy, Japan’s strategic approaches to Southeast Asia, and the impact of the US-China’s tech rivalry on the region. Angeline contributed to “Focus in Continuity: A Framework for Malaysia’s Foreign Policy for a Post-Pandemic World”, published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2021. Her work has also been featured in local and international media, such as The Diplomat, South China Morning Post and The Edge Malaysia. Angeline was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) in 2023.

Kitti is Professor of international relations at Thammasat University in Bangkok and an advisory committee for the International Studies Center (ISC) at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He used to serve as a strategic committee at the Thai Ministry of Defence (2014-19). Kitti is currently among the editorial board of the journal Global Studies Quarterly (published by the International Studies Association, U.S.).

His work experiences include Vice Rector for International Affairs (2018-2021) and Director of the Institute of East Studies (2013-2018) at the university. Kitti was director for the ASEAN Watch Project, funded by the then Thailand Research Fund (2011-2020). He served as an advisory committee, representing Thailand, of the Asia Center under the Japan Foundation (2015-2021).

Earning an M.A. from Keio University and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, Kitti has a wide range of publications, including those on Japan – Southeast Asia relations, U.S. – Thailand security alliance, ASEAN, soft power in East Asia, maritime security, and Thai politics. His recent interest is on public diplomacy. He was selected as a CPD-SIF Southeast Asia Fellow (2023 – 2024) at the Center on Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California.

Kitti was a visiting professor at UC Berkeley, teaching “International Relations in Southeast Asia,” and gave lectures at various universities, such as Waseda, ANU, Munich, Peking, Korea, and Yonsei. He was invited to speak, including at Nikkei Forum, Beijing Forum, Jeju Forum, the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, and Columbia University.

Maria Monica Wihardja is a Visiting Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore. She was a former World Bank Economist in the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice and the recipient of the Nikkei Asian Scholar 2023. She is a member of the East Asia Forum’s Editorial Board and the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies’ Board of Directors. In 2017, she was seconded to the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Indonesia as a senior advisor to the Deputy Chief Staff in charge of strategic economic issues. From 2012 to 2014, she represented Indonesia at the Think20 meetings at the Los Cabos, Saint Petersburg and Brisbane G20 Summits. Her main research topics are digital economy, labour market, food security and agricultural reforms, regional and global architecture, and disinformation and electoral propaganda. She has a PhD in Regional Science from Cornell University, a MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University, and a BA in Applied Mathematics-Economics from Brown University.

Kei Koga is Associate Professor/ Head of Division at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Concurrently, he is a Nonresident Fellow at The National Bureau of Asia Research (NBR), the United States, and a member of RIPS Research Committee, the Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS), Japan. His research focuses on International Security, International/Regional Institutions (particularly ASEAN), and East Asian/Indo-Pacific security.

Previously, he was Japan Scholar at the Wilson Center in 2022; visiting fellow at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in 2017; a Japan-U.S. Partnership Fellow at the RIPS, Tokyo, in 2012-2014; Postdoctoral Fellow in the International Studies Program, The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, in 2012-2013; a Vasey Fellow at the Pacific Forum CSIS in 2009–2010. His recent publication includes "Tactical hedging as coalition-building signal: The evolution of Quad and AUKUS in the Indo-Pacific" (British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 2024) and "Managing Great Power Politics: ASEAN, Institutional Strategy, and the South China Sea" (Palgrave Mcmillan, 2022).

He received his Ph.D. in International Relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

Iqbal Muslimin is the Co-founder, Chief of Sustainability, and Director of Evermos, the leading social commerce platform in Indonesia. Evermos provides SMEs access to underserved consumers in lower-tier cities through Indonesia's largest reseller-based distribution network. Iqbal leads Evermos' commitment to sustainability practices and aims to amplify social impacts for women micro-entrepreneurs. The approach has been instrumental in not only creating jobs and economic independence for many individuals in rural areas of Indonesia but also in fostering access, opportunity, and business education and empowerment through a systematic approach and tech-driven solution. Additionally, Iqbal endorses ESG principles and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to small businesses in Indonesia, focusing on raising sustainability awareness among Evermos’ SME partners and ecosystems.

Iqbal has over ten years experience in the Indonesian tech and internet industry, both an entrepreneur and a social entrepreneur. He was recently named as part of the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and as a member of the Global Innovators at the World Economic Forum.

Sue Mi Terry is senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

Most recently, Terry was director of the Asia program and the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy at the Wilson Center from 2021 to 2023. Previously, she was a senior fellow with the Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, managing director for Korea at Bower Group, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Weatherhead East Asian Institute, and CFR’s National Intelligence Fellow.

In the U.S. government, Terry was deputy national intelligence officer for East Asia at the National Intelligence Council, the director of Korea, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and a senior analyst at the CIA, where she produced hundreds of intelligence assessments.

She has taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, Seoul National University, and the University of Chicago, where she was a 2019 Pritzker Fellow at the Institute of Politics.

Terry is a producer of Beyond Utopia, an acclaimed documentary film about refugees escaping North Korea that won the 2024 DuPont-Columbia Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, was shortlisted for an Academy Award and nominated for a BAFTA Award.

Terry received a BA in political science from New York University and an MA and PhD in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Cheol-Hee Park (born in 1963) is currently Chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA). Before being appointed as Chancellor of KNDA on 31 March 2023, he held the position of Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) at Seoul National University since 2004. Also, his previous posts include serving as Director of the Institute for Japanese Studies (2012-2016), Dean of GSIS (2016-2018), and Director of the Institute of International Affairs (2019-2023) at Seoul National University.

Park earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University in New York, following completion of his B.A. and M.A. degrees at the Political Science Department of Seoul National University. He held the position of Assistant Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan (1999-2002), and subsequently at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) (2002-2004). He also served as President of the Korean Association for Contemporary Japanese Studies (2017). Additionally, he served as a visiting professor at Colombia University, the University of Tokyo and Keio University. In 2022, he worked as a senior staff member at the Subcommittee on Foreign Relations and Security of the Presidential Transition Committee of South Korea.

Park has authored numerous papers covering topics such as Japanese politics, Korea-Japan relations, as well as international relations of East Asia.

Park held positions as a board member of various organizations including the Korea-Japan Forum, SETO Forum, Seoul Forum for International Affairs, Asan Institute for Policy Studies, and East Asia Foundation. In 2005, he was honored with the First Nakasone Yasuhiro Award.

Dr. NISHINO Junya is a Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. He also serves as Director of the Institute of East Asian Studies and Director of the Center for Contemporary Korean Studies at Keio University. His research focuses on contemporary Korean politics, international relations in East Asia, Japan-Korea relations, and Japan-US-ROK relations.

Dr. Nishino was a Japan Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a Visiting Scholar at the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, George Washington University in 2012-2013. He was also an Exchange Scholar at the Harvard-Yenching Institute in 2011-2012.

Previously he served as a Special Analyst on Korean Affairs in the Intelligence and Analysis Service of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2006-2007, and was a Special Assistant on Korean Politics at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in 2002-2004.

Dr. Nishino received his B.A. and M.A. from Keio University, and Ph.D. in Political Science from Yonsei University in South Korea.

Arifin Tasrif (born 19 June 1953 in Jakarta) is the current Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources. He was previously appointed as Indonesia's Ambassador to Japan in 2017 until October 2019.

Minister Tasrif has extensive experience in the fertilizer industry. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, he held the position of Chief Officer in three different state-owned companies in the fertilizer industry, namely PT. Pupuk Indonesia, PT. Pupuk Sriwidjaya, and PT. Petrokimia Gresik.

Minister Arifin studied chemical Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), graduating in 1977.

Dr. Zhou Xiaochuan was born in January 1948. He is Vice Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia and China’s Chief Representative to the Boao Forum.

He received a PhD degree in system engineering in economics at Tsinghua University in 1985. Between 1979 and 1985, he did research and policy analysis for the reform of China’s economic system and in a large number of economic subjects. From November 1986 to September 1991, Dr. Zhou was a member of the State Commission for Restructuring the Economic System. In the period, he was also a member in the State Council Leading Group on Program of Restructuring the Economic System and a Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Economic Structural Reform in 1986 and 1987; from December 1986 to December 1989, he was Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation (which is now the Ministry of Commerce). From 1991 to 2002, he served on a number of positions, including as Vice President of the Bank of China, Administrator of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China, President of the China Construction Bank, and Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. From December 2002 and March 2018, he was Governor of the People’s Bank of China. From January 2003 to June 2018, he was Chairman of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People's Bank of China. From March 2013 to March 2018, he was vice chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Dr. Zhou Xiaochuan is a member of the Group of Thirty (G30) and Chinese Economists 50 Forum.

WanSeok Chang is an Economist at the ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia) where he contributes to economic research in the Economic Research Department. Before ERIA, he worked as an Associate Research Fellow in the Office of SDG’s Innovation Research at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) where he extensively researched on the national innovation system in developing countries and water-energy-food nexus in Mekong based countries with UNIDO and UNOSSC, respectively.

Wan's academic experience includes PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Connecticut, with a research focus on micro-development economic issues. His dissertation deals with a variety of economic topics including media family planning messages, ageing, and cyberbullying victimization in East Asia. He holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University with a special focus on energy economics and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Pennsylvania State University, where he graduated with Superior Academic Achievement.

Throughout his academic and professional journey, Mr. Wan has showcased expertise in economic research, particularly in areas related to micro-development economics, health, education, innovation, and industrial policy. His doctoral dissertation and research titles demonstrate his proficiency in analyzing diverse topics within economics. His current research focuses on the effect of new emerging technologies (AI, big data, IoT, block chain) on innovation and labor productivity in micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the context of emerging economies.

H.E. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003. During this period he opened up the country to foreign investments, reformed taxation, reduced trade barriers, oversaw the privatisations of numerous state-owned enterprises and created a world-class physical infrastructure. He also sought to bridge Malaysia’s ethnic divide by increasing general prosperity.

In 1991, he launched the New Development Policy, which emphasised industrial and commercial development and the elimination of poverty. Under Tun Dr. Mahathir’s leadership, Malaysia developed into one of the most prosperous and dynamic economies in Southeast Asia, with a burgeoning industrial sector, an expanding middle class and enhanced quality of life.

In 1995, the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) initiative was introduced to make Malaysia a global player in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry.

Malaysia also played a more active role in the international arena, acting as the voice for developing nations in Asia and Africa. Always with one eye on the future, Tun Dr. Mahathir unveiled Vision 2020 in 1991, a blueprint for Malaysia’s journey towards becoming a developed economy and a mature democracy by the year 2020.

Despite his retirement, Dr Mahathir has been kept busy with numerous invitations and speaking engagements locally and abroad.

He is the Honorary President of Perdana Leadership Foundation (PLF), a think-tank set up to preserve, develop and disseminate the intellectual heritage of past leaders. Tun Dr Mahathir is also the Chairman of Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War (KLFCW) and President of Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF). Both these organisations aim at promoting global peace and criminalising war.

In 2015, Tun Dr. Mahathir decided to come out of his political retirement and spearheaded a campaign to oust Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak from office. Following that, Tun Dr. Mahathir and several like-minded political leaders had formed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) in which he is the chairman.

Other political parties opposed to the Prime Minister had also rallied around him and elected Tun Dr Mahathir to be the chairman of Pakatan Harapan (Coalition of Hope) as well as naming him as the Prime Minister designate if they won the 14 th general election.

On 9 th May 2018, the result of the 14 th Malaysian General Election declared the Pakatan Harapan as the winner. Tun Dr Mahathir wins sworn in as the 7 th Prime Minister the following day.

In February 2020, Tun Dr. Mahathir resigned Prime Minister.

Tun Dr. Mahathir is married to a doctor, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, and they have seven children and sixteen grandchildren.

Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont is highly committed to fostering a collective learning as well as co-creating the higher education common space for equitable and sustainable development of this region. She is leading various key regional initiatives supporting regional harmonization and internationalization through policy dialogue, leadership, mobility and linkages and knowledge maximization. Some of the flagships include the annual policy dialogue among SEAMEO higher education policy makers (SEA HiEd SOM), the intra-regional mobility program of the Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Program, the Southeast Asian higher education knowledge hub platform of RIHED-SHARE, and projects with the British Council on Higher Education Leadership and Good Governance on Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity, and with DAAD(German Academic Exchange Service) on strengthening research ecosystem through the Horizon Southeast Asia Pushing the Frontier of Research for Sustainability. During her tenure as former Vice President for International Affairs of Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand and her background on gender studies, she served as expert for DAAD International Deans’ Course; Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) for the Capacity Building Project; CIDA(The Canadian International Development Agency) Sustainable Environmental Management Project and represented women major group at RIO+20. She is currently a member of Global Research Council: Gender Working Group.

Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, sworn in on 24 November 2022.

His appointment is the result of a decades-long political journey, which began as a student activist advocating for social justice and democratic reforms. Anwar’s political ascent saw him hold various ministerial positions, including Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia (1993-1998) and Minister of Finance (1991-1998). He also served as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in 1983; Minister of Agriculture in 1984; and Minister of Education in 1986.

During the Asian Financial Crisis, Anwar was hailed for guiding through the period of instability. As deputy prime minister and finance minister at the time, he backed free-market principles and highlighted the proximity of business and politics in Malaysia.

He spearheaded Reformasi, a reform movement that has indelibly shaped the country’s political landscape and inspired a generation of democracy activists. For championing the cause of the poor and taking a principled stance against corruption and abuse of power, he endured years of incarceration. Today, as prime minister, Anwar continues to be a powerful force in Malaysia and the region for democracy and pluralism, the values to which he has dedicated his life.

Anwar is viewed as one of the forefathers of the Asian Renaissance. He is an internationally renowned speaker on the subjects of economics, democracy, freedom, governance, geopolitics, the relationship between Islam and democracy, and the need for greater civilizational dialogue and contemporary politics in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. He held Senior Fellowships at St. Anthony’s College at Oxford and the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University as well as a Visiting Professorship at the School of Foreign Service in Georgetown University.

Tengku Zafrul Aziz is Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). Formerly, he was Malaysia’s Minister of Finance (2020- 2022) as well as the Coordinating Minister for the nation’s National Recovery Plan, the key responsibility of which was to safely and systematically coordinate Malaysia's exit from the pandemic.

With over 22 years of experience in the financial services sector, Tengku Zafrul’s helmed various key leadership roles, the most recent of which was as the Group Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, a leading ASEAN universal bank and a world leader in Islamic finance. During that period, he was also the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of CIMB Bank Berhad and President Commissioner of PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk.

He had earlier also held senior positions with Maybank Investment Bank Berhad, Maybank Kim Eng Holdings, Citigroup Malaysia, Kenanga Holdings Berhad and Avenue Securities. His stint in entrepreneurship was experienced through the set up Tune Money Sdn Bhd, Asia’s first "no-frills" online financial service provider.

During his tenure as Malaysia’s Minister of Finance, Tengku Zafrul played a key role in curating and implementing a Malaysia’s comprehensive fiscal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included rolling out eight (8) stimulus packages with a total value of more than RM530 billion (USD115. 4 billion) and two (2) historic, expansionary and counter-cyclical annual Budgets of USD73.5 billion (2021) and USD76 billion (2022), all of which enabled the country’s GDP to grow at 8.7% in 2022.

As the Minister currently responsible for promoting exports, attracting investments into the country and empowering industries, Tengku Zafrul has led numerous Trade and Investment Missions to countries like Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, the UAE, the US, and Vietnam. These missions have resulted in approved investments of RM329.5 billion (USD69 billion) flowing into Malaysia in 2023, as well as potential exports valued at a few hundred billion ringgit, which helped bolster the country's GDP growth in the same year.

Tengku Zafrul was previously a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and sat on the Board of the National Sports Council of Malaysia.

He is also an Honorary Commander of the Navy Volunteer Reserve under the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Tengku Zafrul graduated from the University of Bristol with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Economics and Accounting and obtained a Master of Arts (MA) in Finance and Management from the University of Exeter. He also holds a Fellowship in Chartered Banking with the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers.

Tengku Zafrul authored a book, Weathering The Economic Storm: A Journey Through The Uncharted Waters of COVID-19, which records the key fiscal policy decisions made during his role as Malaysia’s Minister of Finance to successfully navigate Malaysia through the coronavirus pandemic.

Serey Chea is the Governor of National Bank of Cambodia. She is passionate about financial inclusion and women economic empowerment. Achievements under her leadership include the establishment of Credit Bureau Cambodia in 2012 that propelled Cambodia’s Ease of Access to Finance to number 7 worldwide in 2017 by the World Bank, the introduction of Bakong, a national backbone payment system using DLT allowing interoperability amongst all financial service providers making financial services more accessible and affordable, and the introduction of financial literacy into the general education program. Serey holds a PhD in economics and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) and a member of the Alumni Community of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

He was appointed to Murdoch University from University College Dublin (UCD), where he was the first Australian to lead an Irish university. Since joining Murdoch University, he has overseen an academic restructure, a refresh of the senior leadership team, and the development of a new strategy, Ngala Kwop Biddi: Building a Brighter Future, Together, which has been warmly embraced by the university community.Andrew was President of UCD from January 2014 to March 2022, and developed a strategy which led to significant improvements across a range of areas, including student satisfaction; quality, quantity, and impact of research; and local, national, and international engagement.Prior to his role at UCD, he was a Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Durham University, where he led the Science, Engineering and Technology division and contributed to the development of extensive international and industry partnerships. Before joining Durham, he was the Winthrop Professor in Civil and Resources Engineering at The University of Western Australia and was Head of School from 2004 to 2009.Professor Deeks’ research has focused on structural dynamics, mechanics and dynamic soil structure and he has published more than 150 research papers in this area. He is a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Engineers Ireland, and the Institution of Engineers Australia.

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn is the 15th Secretary-General of ASEAN. Prior to assuming his current position on 9 January 2023, Dr. Kao had served as a two-term Minister Delegate attached to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, from 2013 to 2022, and Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, from 2004 to 2013. Dr. Kao’s career has focused on strengthening Cambodia’s international relations, particularly in ASEAN, driving policy advocacy and promoting research, education, and development. He has authored dozens of books and articles on Cambodia and ASEAN. Dr. Kao received BA in Asian Studies from Baylor University, MA in Political Science and MA in International Studies from Ohio University, and PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Currently, he is an Executive Vice President of China Japan Friendship Association and a member of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Han nationality, a native of Jilin Province, born September 1954, undergraduate.

Sun Chanthol is currently a Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC). He was a Senior Minister, Minister of Public Works and Transport of Cambodia from April 2016 to August 2023. He served as a Senior Minister, Minister of Commerce and Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia from 2013 to April 2016. He was previously a Senior Minister and Vice Chairman of the CDC from 2008 to 2013. He was a Minister of Public Works and Transport from 2004 to 2008 and was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2003. He founded SCI Co.,Ltd., an investment and trading firm, in Cambodia in 1999, and served as an Economic and Finance Advisor to the President of the National Assembly from 1999 to 2003. He was a Secretary of State for the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Secretary General of the CDC from 1994 to 1997. Previously, He worked for General Electric for 16 years where he held a variety of executive positions.

He received a B.S. in Business Administration (BSBA) from American University, Advanced Management Program (AMP) from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University.

He was elected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow of the World Economic Forum in 1995. He was a member of the Wharton Executive Board for Asia from 2002 to 2022 and served as the first Chairman of the Wharton Executive Board for Asia from 2009 to 2013.

In-House Group: Liberal Democratic Party
Elected: Gifu 1st District (single-seat constituency), ten times
Born: September 1960, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
Education: Faculty of Foreign Studies, Sophia University

Career:
Imperial Hotel, Ltd.
Member, Gifu Prefectural Assembly
Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1996)
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1998)
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy and Food Safety (2008)
Minister of Consumer Affairs (2008)
Minister of Space Policy (2008)
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications (2017)
Minister in charge of Women's Empowerment (2017)
Minister of State for Gender Equality (2017)
Minister of State for the Social Security and Tax Number System (2017)
Chairperson, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) General Council (2012)
Chair, Special Committee on Disasters, House of Representatives (HR) (2016)
Chair, HR Standing Committee on Budget (2018)
Chairperson, LDP Headquarters for Party and Political System Reform Implementation (2019)
Executive Acting Secretary-General, LDP (2020)
Chairperson, Research Commission on Info-Communications Strategy (2022)

Hiroyuki Tsubai joined ITOCHU Corporation in 1982. He was mainly involved in overseas plant construction businesses and contributed to the expansion of ITOCHU's overseas businesses in Nigeria, Thailand, the Middle East and other countries. He had served as CEO for three overseas blocks in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. He was appointed as Executive Officer in 2014 and Managing Executive officer in 2016. He was appointed as Senior Managing Executive Officer in 2022, and as Member of the Board, Executive Vice President in 2023, where he remains to this day. He also serves as President of the Machinery Company.

He graduated Department of Business Administration, Shiga University in 1998 and received a MBA, Shiga University in 2000. He worked in trade relations in Kobe, Japan until 2006, and then studied at Rockford University in the U.S. He then returned to Mongolia and joined Mongolyn Alt(MAK). After holding key positions in the Sales and Marketing Department, Business Development Department, and Sales Department, he has been in his current position since 2019. From 2022, he become a board member of the Mongolian Curling Association, and in September 2022 become the "Hydrogen Production and Related Product Processing" Project Coordinator.

Sutapa Amornvivat, Ph.D. is Founding CEO of Abacus Digital, an AI-powered data-tech startup that delivered Thailand’s first fully automated digital lending platform using alternative data. Sutapa currently sits on Public Sector Audit and Evaluation Subcommission, overseeing the development of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC); and serves as board members of Khon Kaen University, Asian Institute of Technology, and Capital Market Academy. Previously at Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), Sutapa was Chief-level executive, led the Economic Intelligence Center, established the Risk Analytics Division, and headed Risk Management Committee of SCB Asset Management (Thailand’s largest asset management company.) Before SCB, Sutapa founded TMB Analytics and Risk Analytics & Research Group at TMB Bank (now TTB) during her secondment from ING Group. Prior to joining the banking industry, Sutapa was Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC. Sutapa holds an AB from Harvard University and a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). She was a recipient of Thailand's most prestigious King's Scholarship, and a representative of Thailand in the 23rd International Chemistry Olympiad. Sutapa was honored Asia21 Young Leader Fellow in 2007, by the Asia Society where she is later appointed as Global Council member.

After graduating from Sogang University (Politics) in Korea and completing a Ph.D. program at the Graduate School (Politics) of the University of Tokyo (Politics) in Japan. He studied Japan and Japan's relations for a long time at universities and research institutes.

From 2015 to 2018 he served as the President of the Sejong Institute of think tanks in Korea. He is currently the director of the Japan Research Center at Sejong Institute. He has frequently taken office in public offices such as the Korean government's advisory committee.

Many of his books and papers include "Japan's Political Economy: Continuous and Disconnected" (2009), "East Asian Initiative and Unification of the Korean Peninsula" (2011), "Changes in Japan-Korea Relations" (2013), and "Korea in the Age of U.S.-China Competition" (2020) and "Game Changer and Future National Strategy" (2023).

Dr. S. Jaishankar is India’s External Affairs Minister since May 30th, 2019. He is a Member of the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) of India’s Parliament from the state of Gujarat.

He was Foreign Secretary from 2015-18, Ambassador to United States (2013-15), China (2009-2013) and Czech Republic (2000-2004). He was High Commissioner to Singapore (2007-2009).

He has also served in other diplomatic assignments in Embassies in Moscow, Colombo, Budapest and Tokyo, as well in the Ministry of External Affairs and the President’s Secretariat. He was also President – Global Corporate Affairs at Tata Sons Private Limited from May 2018.

Dr S. Jaishankar is a graduate of St. Stephen’s College at the University of Delhi. He has a Masters in Political Science and an M. Phil and Ph.D in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

He is a recipient of the Padma Shri award in 2019 and has written widely acclaimed best-selling books: The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, which was published in 2020 and Why Bharat Matters, which was published in 2024.

Born in 1981, he graduated from the National University of Mongolia,School of Foreign Service in 2003 and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He received Master Degree from Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in 2008. After serving as Deputy Director-General of the Asia, Middle East and Africa, he served as Minister-Counsellor (Deputy Chief of Mission) , Embassy of Mongolia to the Kingdom of Thailand and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia from 2016 to 2019.After serving as Counsellor, Department of Policy and Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,he has held his current position since 2021. He is fluent in Japanese, English, and Russian.

Born in Ulaanbaatar, 1974. After studying in Japan, he graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Science and Technology of Mongolia and in 2020 received his Ph.D. in public administration from the National University of Mongolia.

After working in Tokyo as a system engineer and other positions for Japanese and U.S. companies, he has served as a representative in Japan, president, and chairman of the board of directors of the National Investment Bank of Mongolia since 2006.

In 2015, he worked as an adviser to the Chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament) in charge of Mongolia-Japan Economic partnership agreement, since 2016, Director General of the National Development Agency directly under the Prime Minister of Mongolia, in 2021, Counsellor, responsible for Economic and trade affairs at the Embassy of Mongolia in Japan, in 2022, non-permanent adviser to the Prime Minister of Mongolia. Presented his Credentials to His Majesty Emperor of Japan, on December, 2023.

Airlangga was born on October 1, 1962, and grew up in a family close to Indonesian politics, Airlangga assumed the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs role in 2019 under President Joko Widodo. Previously, he led the Ministry of Industry from 2016 to 2019.

Airlangga graduated from University of Gadjah Mada in 1987 with Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. In 1996, Airlangga obtain Master of Management Technology from The University of Melbourne and later on also graduated from Monash University Melbourne with Master of Business Administration in 1997. With a very comprehensive background of experience as a businessman, legislator, and minister, The Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy awarded Doctor Honoris Causa in the field of Development Policy to Airlangga in 2019.

As a Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga led the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) to navigate Indonesia out of the COVID-19 outbreak by implementing various strategic steps, integrating the aspects of health management with the national economic recovery.

During Indonesia’s G20 Presidency in 2022, Airlangga led the G20 Sherpa Track. In 2023, Airlangga was also at the forefront, leading the ASEAN process under Indonesia’s chairmanship, which focused on three main aspects: building regional growth, promoting the digital economy, and supporting sustainable development.

Airlangga continues to lead Indonesia's active participation in various international forums to strengthen Indonesia’s position in the global economy and realize inclusive and sustainable national economic growth.

Shin Nakayama is the editor-in-chief of Nikkei Asia. He started as a political news reporter at Nikkei in 1997, where he covered various news at the Prime Minister's Office, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, among others. After spending three years as the Washington correspondent, covering the Obama administration, he served as the chief correspondent covering the PM Office and LDP, as well as deputy editor of the political news department. He was the news editor of Nikkei Asian Review (now Nikkei Asia) from 2019 to 2023.

Joined Nikkei in 1992. After covering industries such as automobiles, telecommunications, construction/real estate, energy, trading companies and electronics, he was stationed in Thailand for a total of eight years; 2010-15 as Bangkok bureau chief and 2019-22 March as Editor-in-Chief of Editorial Headquarters for Asia. He also serves as a member of the editorial board. His book 'Thailand: Escape from Confusion' won the Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Special Award in 2016.

Toyoaki Fujiwara is the editor-in-chief of Editorial Headquarters for Asia, based in Bangkok. He previously earned an undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering from Kyushu University and joined Nikkei as a staff writer in Tokyo, where he covered a range of topics including technology companies, monetary policy, fiscal policy, and politics. In 2014, he was transferred to Bangkok to serve as Deputy Editor at the editorial headquarters for Asia, which was established in response to the launch of Nikkei Asia, Nikkei's new English publication. In 2017, he relocated to Tokyo to join the main newsroom as the Business News Editor and the Politics and Economy News Editor at Nikkei Asia.

Yuji Nitta specializes in industrial news. He joined Nikkei inc. in 2008. Working out of two locations, Tokyo and Osaka, he mainly covered electronics, chemistry, and media & entertainment and became Hanoi bureau chief in April 2023. He also has worked as expert on representing news in digital content and won a silver award of Digital Media Award Asia from the WAN-IFRA for "How the Northern sea routes will change the world's major traffic flows".

She graduated from the University of Tokyo in 2000 and has been handling a wide range of coverage including companies, markets, and governmental agencies since joining the company. From April 2021 for two years, she served as a Fintech Editor, specializing in the digitalization of finance and fintech. Since April 2023, she has been based in Singapore and is responsible for coverage in Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Tetsushi Takahashi is currently a senior editorial writer for Nikkei. He graduated from the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Keio University in 1993 and joined Nihon Keizai Shimbun. He was responsible for covering the former Ministry of Finance, Bank of Japan, Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Liberal Democratic Party in the economic and political departments. From 2003 for one year, he studied Chinese at Beijing University. He spent over 10 years stationed in China, including in Hong Kong before its return to China. From 2017 for four years, he served as the head of the China General Bureau based in Beijing, overseeing Nikkei's China coverage. After returning to Japan, he served as the head of the Economic Department for two years and has held his current role since April 2023. He is responsible for editorials on China's economy, trade policy, and economic security.

He joined Nikkei in 1992 and as political affairs correspondent he has covered the Prime Minister’s Office, Liberal Democratic Party, Diet, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance. He was stationed in South Korea for six and a half years, including serving as Seoul Bureau Chief from 2015–18. He has also traveled to North Korea including 2 visits to cover the Japan-North Korea summits. He had been Editorial Writer and Senior Staff Writer since 2018. He writes editorials on the Korean peninsula situation, Japanese domestic politics, diplomatic and security affairs, as well as the "Korean Peninsula File" column, and regularly publishes the Korea Watch newsletter (Nikkei Briefing). He is the author of the following books: Nikkan no ketsudan [Japan and Korea’s Decision] (2023) which provides an insider's perspective on the dramatic improvement in Japan-South Korea ties, Nikkan no danso [Japan-Korea fault lines] (2019), and Kankoku no yuuutsu [Korea’s gloom] (2017). He graduated from the Faculty of Law of Keio University in 1992 with a B.A. in political science.

After joining Nikkei in 1985, Mr. Ijuin has been assigned in various important domestic and oversea posts including Seoul Bureau, Deputy Manager of Political News Department, China Headquarter Chief and senior staff writer before assuming the current position. He has also served as a visiting scholar at George Washington University. Recent publication includes "Economic Security in Asia" (co-editor).

Akito Tanaka is a News Editor for Nikkei Asia and a member of the Editorial Board. Tanaka has twenty years of reporting experience and has also been covering global companies in both Japan and the United States. From 2021 to 2024, he served as a senior staff writer for Nikkei and Nikkei Asia's Chief business news correspondent, covering the technology sector from Singapore. Tanaka graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, with BA in political science. He spent his childhood years in Lisbon, Portugal, attending the American International School.

Daisuke Hatori has been a valuable team member since 2000. Initially involved in corporate reporting, he later covered social issues from the Yokohama bureau. In 2005, he shifted his focus to education while working in Osaka. Moving to the Tokyo Social Affairs Bureau in 2010, Hatori began to specialize in the education sector, covering policies, activities of educational institutions, and broader issues affecting schools and universities in Japan. He has written and edited articles on the internationalization of Japanese universities and educational challenges.In 2024, Hatori spent three months in the United States researching and writing about the changing nature of international education and Japan's study-abroad policies in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. With nearly a decade focused on education reporting, he has built a solid base of expertise in the field.

He is a member of NIKKEI Carbon Zero Project, organized in conjunction with leading Japanese companies.

Areas of interest are environmental issues including climate change, natural disasters and de-carbonization as well as innovation in life sciences and biomedical technologies.

Joined Nikkei in 1987, covered science & technology news and business news, before becoming Washington DC correspondent (1998-2002) where he has seen devastating terrorist attack of 2001, and Paris Bureau Chief (2003-07). He has also served as an Editorial Writer (2016-23).

He earned master’s degree in environmental sciences after having majored in physics at Tsukuba University. Accredited and registered meteorologist of Japan.

Naoya Yoshino is the Tokyo-based on Nikkei's chief international news center editorial division. He has been a political reporter and chief editor with over 30 years, during which he interviewed 15 Japanese prime ministers, from Hosokawa to Kishida, and covered their finance and economic ministries. He served as a Washington correspondent from 2012 to 2017, reporting on the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. He has been hosting his own radio and podcast program in Japanese since last June where he engaged in discussions with top Japanese politicians and offered his listeners an insider’s perspective on political power.

Graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo in 1995 and joined Company A. Initially tasked with covering various industries including electronics, trading companies, automotive, and the internet in Japan. From 2003 to 2007, reported on the Greater China Economic Zone spanning from mainland China to Taiwan and Hong Kong, before transitioning to political and diplomatic reporting in Beijing under the administration of Hu Jintao. Started working as a political journalist in Japan in 2010, and appointed as the China Bureau Chief in April 2021.

Tomoyoshi Oshikiri is the Jakarta bureau chief. He graduated from Waseda University and joined Nikkei inc. in 2007. He covered manufacturing, corporate finance and financial markets in the business news division. In particular, he had covered the automobile industry for six years in Tokyo and Nagoya. In 2022, he moved to the International News Center and worked as a reporter and editor. He assumed his current position in October 2023.

In 1993, he joined Nikkei and was assigned to the City News Department where he covered the Metropolitan Police Department. In 1997, he was transferred to the Political News Department. His assignments in the Political News Department included covering the Prime Minister’s Office, the Liberal Democratic Party, opposition parties, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. He spent 2006 studying at Yonsei University in South Korea. Since his return, he has worked in the International News Department, was head of the team of Nikkei staff writers covering the Prime Minister’s Office, deputy editor of the Political News Department and editor of the Regional News Department before becoming Seoul Bureau Chief in 2023.