FUTURE OF ASIA seminar series

A series of seminars will be held in Tokyo throughout the year after the main forum. Experts and journalists will speak on topics related to the latest issues in international affairs and the business scene that could not be covered in the main forum. We will keep you up to date with Asian trends and information. Networking time will be set aside after each seminar to provide a platform for exchange among participants, speakers and stakeholders.
We look forward to your participation.

Fee
5,000 yen per session (tax included)

Purchasers of In-Person Pass in the 30th FUTURE OF ASIA are entitled to attend a series of four seminars for free.
Registration is still required in this case. Please refer to the email from the secretariat for details.

NIKKEI FORUM 30th FUTURE OF ASIA Seminar Series 2nd Session General election in Myanmar – What changes will it bring?

Myanmar’s military government will hold a multi-stage general election starting from the end of December. This will be the first major election since the military seized power in 2021, a takeover which marked the end of a decade that saw considerable foreign investment pouring into one of the least developed countries in Southeast Asia. With dozens of pro-democracy parties either banned or refusing to take part, pro-military parties are set to win an overwhelming majority of seats in parliament. The focal point of attention, therefore, is not who wins, but the changes it could bring to (i) Myanmar’s relations with other ASEAN member states and regional powers such as China and Japan (ii) power balance between the military and the opposition organizations (iii) business environment for foreign investors. In this seminar, experts will share their views on Myanmar’s post-election outlook.

Date
17:00–19:30 Thursday, December 4, 2025 (JST)
Seminar 17:00–18:30
Networking 18:30–19:30
*Doors open at 16:30 (Tentative)
Fee
5,000 yen (tax included)
*Purchasers of the In-person Pass to NIKKEI FORUM 30th FUTURE OF ASIA can participate without charge. Registration is required. Please refer to the email from secretariat.
Venue
NIKKEI Conference Room
1-3-7 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8066, Japan
Nikkei Tokyo Head Office Bldg. 6F
https://www.nikkei-hall.com/access/#section_01
*There will be no video streaming for this seminar.
Language
Japanese Only
Speakers

Ichiro Maruyama 
Former Ambassador of Japan to Myanmar

Yusuke Yukawa 
Partner, Yangon Office Representative, Nishimura & Asahi

Yuichi Nitta 
Editor, Nikkei Asia / Former Nikkei Yangon Bureau Chief
<Moderator>

Ichiro Maruyama Former Ambassador of Japan to Myanmar

Ichiro Maruyama
Former Ambassador of Japan to Myanmar

Yusuke Yukawa Partner, Yangon Office Representative, Nishimura & Asahi

Yusuke Yukawa
Partner, Yangon Office Representative, Nishimura & Asahi

Past seminar series

NIKKEI FORUM 30th FUTURE OF ASIA Seminar Series 1st session Trump Tariffs and Asia

The Trump administration's “Trump tariffs” imposed on approximately 70 countries and regions, including Japan, took effect in August.
Following four months of negotiations, the tariff rates for many countries and regions were lowered from the initial rates announced by the administration in April. However, even within Asia alone, significant variations exist, ranging from 40% for Myanmar and Laos to 10% for Singapore.
What factors led to these differences?What impact will the Trump tariffs have on Asian nations that have leveraged free trade for their development? Leading experts analyze the latest situation, including countermeasures Japanese companies operating in Asia should take, and discuss future prospects.

Date
16:30-18:30 on Thursday, September 25, 2025 (JST)
Seminar: 16:30-17:30
Networking reception: 17:30-18:30
*Doors open at 16:00 (Tentative)
Fee
5,000 yen (tax included)
*Purchasers of the In-person Pass to NIKKEI FORUM 30th FUTURE OF ASIA can participate without charge, Registration is required. Please refer to the email from secretariat.
Venue
NIKKEI Conference Room
1-3-7 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8066, Japan
Nikkei Tokyo Head Office Bldg. 6F
https://www.nikkei-hall.com/access/#section_01
*There will be no video streaming for this seminar.
Language
Japanese Only
Speakers

Takayuki Sumita 
Senior Managing Executive Officer,Head of Corporate Planning and Coordination Group, Chief Strategy Officer, Sumitomo Corporation

Seiya Sukegawa 
Professor, Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Kokushikan University / Visiting Professor, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI)

Toru Takahashi 
Senior Editorial Writer and Senior Staff Writer, Nikkei Inc.
<Moderator>

Takayuki Sumita Senior Managing Executive Officer,Head of Corporate Planning and Coordination Group, Chief Strategy Officer, Sumitomo Corporation

Takayuki Sumita
Senior Managing Executive Officer,Head of Corporate Planning and Coordination Group, Chief Strategy Officer, Sumitomo Corporation

Seiya Sukegawa Chief Representative, Bangladesh Office, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Seiya Sukegawa
Chief Representative, Bangladesh Office, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Past
seminar series

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