Asia Pacific Initiative Forum （APIF）

APIF is an invite-only forum which aims to look forward 30 years into Asia’s future and create a new innovative ecosystem together with business leaders mainly from Japan, India, and the ASEAN countries. We seek to become a platform for exchange and develop synergies through innovative ideas and the work of participating companies. These missions have continued to guide our work ever since we began preparing for the inaugural forum in 2017. APIF offers numerous opportunities for individuals to discuss recent social, economic, and business trends, and share advice on how to expand firms’ operations by using the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as AI, big data, and IoT, to tackle social challenges.
Accounting for more than half of the world’s population, Asia has emerged as a leading economic power. Over time, the region has become the “factory of the world,” constituting an absolutely crucial part of global supply chains, and in the past 15 year years alone, the flow of goods, services, funds, information, and labor circulating within Asia has doubled. These flows – the main drivers of Asia’s economic growth – will continue to expand and reinforce the connectivity and economic integration of the region. APIF aims to act as a meeting ground for Asian business leaders to create a new innovation ecosystem and form a common vision for the coming decades.
Over the course of the event, next-generation innovators from Asia exchange thoughts on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as the factors that spawn new ideas and synergies aimed at solving shared socio-economic challenges in the region. Importantly, the forum also provides Asian innovators with unique opportunities to voice their opinions to a global audience.
The inaugural Asia Pacific Initiative Forum (APIF) was held December 6-8th, 2019, in Yokohama.
For forum-related questions, or to become an APIF partner, please contact here.

＜Outline of APIF 2021＞

With the vision of “Articulating Asian Ideas”, discussions were held regarding Asia’s multi-dimensional prosperity, as the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet seen its end around the world and further strengthened the need for a fundamental change of existing economic, political as well as social frameworks.

The forum brought together a wide range of Asia’s frontrunners in startup founders, social entrepreneurs, investors and corporate executives, to share ideas on the accelerating digital transformation of various industries, promoting sustainable movements and rule-making in Asia, empowerment of individuals through digitalization and gender equality, utilizing and developing Asian capital and finance, and civil engagement in Afghanistan.

Moreover, we invited Kengo Kuma (Architect, University Professor and Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo) and The Honourable Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (Senior Minister, Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia) to share a vision on sustainable and multilateral peaceful development of Asia.

During the two days in APIF 2021, the idea of collaboration among public, private, academia and other sectors to bring multi-dimensional prosperity in Asia was highlighted. APIF will continue its activities to further advance this momentum.

Click below for the program and speakers.

APIF2021 Keynote Speech “The Asian path of sustainability and harmony with the environment”
Speaker:
Kengo KUMA/ Architect, University Professor and Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo

APIF2021 Keynote Speech “Prioritizing innovation as the key to unlocking post-crisis growth”
Speaker:
The Honourable Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali/ Senior Minister, Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia

“What civil society in Afghanistan tells us about sustainable transformation and diversity”
Speakers:
YAMAMOTO Eri / Secretary General and Country Director for Afghanistan office, Shanti Volunteer Association
Maria Helen Dabu / Secretary-General, Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE)
Abdul Bashir Khaliqi / Former director, Afghan National Association For Adult Education (ANAFAE)
Moderator:
KOBAYASHI Lin / Co-Founder and Chair of the Board, UWC ISAK Japan

A-2: “Digitalizing Asian financial markets”
Speakers:
Prasarn Trairatvorakul / Chairman of the Board, The Stock Exchange of Thailand
MIKE Kanetsugu / Chairman, MUFG
Moderator:
MIYAGAWA Makio / President, APIF

B-1: “Transformation of industrial sectors through Vertical Digital Platforms”
Speakers:
MATSUMOTO Yasukane / Founder & CEO, Raksul Inc.
Pamitra Wineka / Co-founder & CEO, Tanihub Group
Tan Yinglan / Founding Managing Partner, Insignia Ventures Partners
Moderator:
SUZUKI Satoko / Associate Professor, Hitotsubashi University Business School

B-2: “Transformation by climate change sustainability standards and rule-making in Asia”
Speakers:
Ravi Chidambaram / CEO, RIMM Sustainability Pte Ltd.
HOSONO Kyohei / Director & COO, Dream Incubator Inc.
Abhilasha Purwar / Founder and CEO, Blue Sky Analytics
Moderator:
MIYAJI Yu / Staff Writer, The Asahi Shimbun

C-1: “Transformation by Start-ups and venture capitalists rising to social challenges”
Speakers:
Mohit Bhatnagar / Managing Director, Sequoia Capital
Prakash Prashanth / Partner, Accel
NAKAMURA Toshi / Co-Founder & CEO, Kopernik
Moderator:
MUKOYAMA Jun / Fellow, Asia Pacific Initiative

＜Outline of APIF 2020＞

APIF 2020 PROGRAM

Videos from APIF 2020 (to show subtitle, click here for instructions)

Summary Clip of APIF 2020

DAY 1 (4^th December, 2020)

Special Message from SUGA Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan

“Collaboration for Sustainable and Inclusive Prosperity”
by Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Republic of Singapore)

“Digital Social Innovation”
by Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Executive Yuan, Taiwan

Special Report on COVID-19 from Japanese Team
by SHIOZAKI Akihisa, Attorney, Partner, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu

DAY 2 (5^th December, 2020)

“Sustainability Transformation, Global Game Change for Growth and Competitiveness”
by MIZUNO Hiromichi, Special Advisor to METI, Executive Fellow of Harvard business School, Non executive Board member of Tesla Inc

Special Message from H. E. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment of Republic of Indonesia

< Outline of Inaugural APIF >

APIF 2019 YOKOHAMA PROGRAMAPIF 2019 SESSIONS

DAY1 Special Remarks
by Parag Khanna
 

DAY3 Special Remarks ①
KURODA Haruhiko, Governor,
Bank of Japan

【Sessions】