1. Purpose of Establishment
The risk of a decline in Japan’s international competitiveness is increasing. This, combined with an ongoing shortage of overseas workers, is likely to lead to Japan losing its position as a choice location for high-skilled human resources. Indeed, even those who come from abroad to study in Japan, a potential source of skilled manpower, are turning their backs on the country and electing to work elsewhere. The well-documented decline in Japan’s birth rate and its ageing population underline how critical it is that the country open its doors to overseas labor. Without such countermeasures, Japan will continue to suffer from a shortage of high-skilled human resources. In recent years, Vietnamese people have accounted for a high proportion of those visiting and settling in Japan. As a result, both countries have striven to develop and improve international exchange. However, during my time as a university teacher, I have always felt that undergraduate students show little interest in international affairs and that precious few opportunities exist to exchange education and academia. This observation is widely shared and, when voiced, worries me for the future of Japan, Vietnam, and Asia as a whole. As such, I have a desire to contribute however I can to the development of international exchange throughout Asia, particularly between Japan and Vietnam. With these issues in mind, we have established the “Asia Future Association” to expand knowledge, strengthen ties between Japan and Vietnam, and extend this network across other Asian countries by developing human capital.
2. Main Activities
(1) The provision of international educational and research exchange opportunities for researchers
(2) The provision of international educational and research exchange opportunities for students
(3) The organization of events to promote overseas study and online communication
(4) The creation of exchange opportunities for Japanese and Vietnamese investors
(5) The organization of public seminars
(6) The opening of free online Japanese classes for university students
(7) The opening of free online Vietnamese classes for Japanese students
(8) The promotion and implementation of cultural exchange events
(9) AFA Hope Foundation
(10) Asia Future Research Conference (AFRC)
3. Founding Members
Chair and Representative Director: Dr.Thuy Nguyen (Associate Professor of Chiba University of Commerce)
Director: Dr. Rui Takahashi (Professor of Tokai University)
