Managing Director Hiroyuki Kojima (L), Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata and Managing Director Jun Ishimaru at the APO Secretariat.

Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata received two senior officials from the Japan Foundation, Managing Director Jun Ishimaru, General Affairs Department, and Managing Director Hiroyuki Kojima, Global Partnerships Department, on 27 February in Tokyo. Secretary-General Dr. Indra warmly welcomed and thanked Managing Directors Ishimaru and Kojima for visiting the Secretariat.

Managing Director Ishimaru outlined the Japan Foundation’s activities, including the upcoming “Partnership to Co-create a Future with the Next Generation: WA Project 2.0,” a decade-long comprehensive initiative that aims to foster people-to-people exchanges among the next generation of youth in Japan and Asia, with a particular focus on ASEAN.

This was followed by a brainstorming session on possible collaborations between the APO and Japan Foundation under the WA Project 2.0. Secretary-General Dr. Indra highlighted that in addition to most APO members being the target countries of the WA Project 2.0, the APO is well equipped with the implementation mechanisms for a variety of projects, leveraging its extensive network with National Productivity Organizations.

Secretary-General Dr. Indra, Japan Foundation Managing Directors, and Secretariat staff members in discussion.

Concluding the productive conversation, Secretary-General Dr. Indra and Managing Directors Ishimaru and Kojima agreed to maintain open lines of communication. They also planned to hold further discussions to identify practical, effective approaches for possible future cooperation between their organizations.