Jakarta, 29 January 2018: The annual Research Institutes Network (RIN) meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 29 January 2018, organised by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia together with the Institute of Developing Economies - Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO).

The meeting was attended by RIN members from 15 organisations across East Asia Summit countries, moderated by Dr Hank Lim Giok-Hay from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

ERIA President Prof Hidetoshi Nishimura welcomed the RIN members as he delivered his opening remarks. He went on to briefly explain ERIA's deliverables in 2017 as well as mentioning a milestone that ERIA will pass in 2018 as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

'I hope today's discussion leads the future research direction, not only for next year, but also for the next ten years,' said Prof Nishimura.

Mr Daisuke Hiratsuka, President, Bangkok Research Center, JETRO Bangkok / IDE-JETRO applauded ERIA's achievements, adding that 'there is much work should be done by ERIA.'

After the opening remarks, the morning session continued with short presentations from two Malaysian research institutes and ERIA. Shigeki Kamiyama, ERIA's Director General for Research Administration, delivered a presentation on ERIA's Research Projects in FY 2017, followed by several presentations on ERIA's key projects in FY 2017 by ERIA researchers.

In the afternoon, presentations were made on collaborative research projects between ERIA and RIN members in FY 2017. Prof Fukunari Kimura, ERIA's Chief Economist, also presented ERIA's future study plans including the calls for proposal for collaborative research projects in FY 2018.

The last presentation was delivered by Mr Daisuke Hiratsuka on a key research project by Bangkok Research Center, JETRO Bangkok / IDE-JETRO.

Dr Hank Lim, who was also the Chairperson of RIN, wrapped up the meeting and delivered his closing remarks.