The sixteenth Asian Statesmen’s Forum was held on August 26, 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. This year’s discussion focused on two planned topics: “Current Situations, Political and Economic” and “Policy Challenges of the ICT Revolution.”

Representing the host country of the forum, Dr. Pramono Anung Wibowo, Chief Cabinet Secretary of Indonesia and many other Indonesian statesmen attended the meeting. Also in attendance were members from Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan. Representing Japan were statesmen including Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and GRIPS President Akihiko Tanaka, accompanied by some GRIPS faculty members. An active and candid exchange of opinions explored the set topics in depth and evolved into a free discussion. The forum provided a welcome opportunity for an enlightening exchange of perspectives.