Jakarta, 4 October 2024: The ERIA School of Government hosted the ‘1st Regional Talent Circulation Workshop: ASEAN–Japan’ on 4 October 2024 at ERIA’s office in Jakarta, Indonesia. The workshop brought together representatives from the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai), as well as participants from civil society, non-governmental organisations, and academia from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The goal was to promote collaboration on transnational talent development and mobility between Japan and ASEAN, while exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with these efforts.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Nobuhiro Aizawa, Dean and Managing Director of the ERIA School of Government, emphasised the mission to align talent development efforts between Japanese and ASEAN corporations, while addressing regional public interests. Following him, Mr Tatsuhiro Ogawa, Vice Chairman of the Japan–Asia Relations Committee of Keizai Doyukai, stressed the importance of fostering dialogue and communication between Japanese companies and ASEAN. He highlighted the need for innovation and entrepreneurship driven by human talent, as well as the development, utilisation, and circulation of talents between Japan and ASEAN.

The first session featured Kazufumi Watanabe, Vice Chairman of Japan–Asia Relations Committee of Keizai Doyukai; Junji Miyawaki, Managing Executive Officer at Suntory Holdings Limited; Atsushi Fujimoto, Senior Director of Human Resources at ANA Holdings; Keigo Shimizu, Human Resources representative at Pfizer Japan Inc.; and Kenji Nawamura, Director of Dermatology Commercial Lead at Pfizer Japan Inc. They presented and discussed findings from Keizai Doyukai's recent interviews with Japanese companies, focusing on the current situation and challenges in utilising overseas talents.

The speakers observed that while many Japanese companies offer overseas assignments to their employees, the demand for foreign talent is largely concentrated in specialised fields such as information technology, digital services, and insurance. They also noted challenges like language barriers, differing career expectations, and the limited direct recruitment of ASEAN graduates by Japanese companies. In the second session, Prof. Dr Sufian Jusoh and Haris Zuan from the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS); Philip B. Sanvictores of Philippines–Japan Economic Cooperation Committee (PHILJEC); Leila Djawas, Deputy Head of the Indonesia–Japan Bilateral Committee at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN); Benny Subianto of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government; and Meizar Abdullah from The Indonesian Association for Japanese Studies presented  case studies. They discussed the current status of talent mobility reports from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, highlighting country-specific challenges and opportunities.

Haris Zuan unpacked the characteristics of Generation Z and millennial ASEAN talents, emphasising their focus on life values, the importance of relationships with family and friends, the need to fulfil both personal and collective aspirations, and their global outlook. Following this, Leila Djawas discussed Indonesian migrant workers and outlined the collaborative plan between Indonesia and Japan to manage their placement throughout the entire process. She also reiterated the importance of the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision and its strategy for human capital development.

Meizar Abdullah noted that while Japan continues to attract technical interns, it is no longer the top choice for many Indonesians. Similarly, Benny Subianto highlighted that Japan lacks sufficient appeal for Indonesian graduates returning from the United States. Philip B. Sanvictores discussed the conditions for migrant workers from the Philippines, acknowledging their generally positive views of Japan. However, he cautioned that many workers prefer English-speaking countries due to language barriers and Japan's stringent requirements. He also emphasised the demand for workers in Japan's critical industries and the potential for Filipino workers to fill these roles.

In the final session, Prof. Dr Sufian Jusoh discussed the ASEAN Vision 2045 with a focus on talent mobility. He addressed broader ASEAN issues, explored potential future actions, and emphasised the need for policy coordination and a long-term strategic framework. While recognising existing ASEAN policies for professionals, Prof. Jusoh noted that they are still in development and that businesses bear the primary responsibility for employment. He also highlighted the differences between ASEAN's talent mobility and that of the European Union, while underscoring the supply–demand dynamics of ASEAN professionals amid emerging global trends in technology and sustainability.