Development of the Outcomes of the “Justice Affairs Diplomacy Ministerial Forum”

26 July 2024 -

The 1st ASEAN-G7 Next Leaders Forum was held in Tokyo from 26 June to 2 July 2024.

The Forum was attended by 55 young government officials from ASEAN and the G7 countries who will lead the next generation in the field of law and justice. The participants, as “Next Leaders,” formed a network that transcends national borders by sharing policy issues each country faces and discussing common challenges.

At the opening ceremony, Minister of Justice, KOIZUMI Ryuji and Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Nararya Soeprapto, delivered opening remarks and welcomed the next leaders in the field of law and justice from ASEAN and the G7.

In this forum, participants discussed two main topics: a) Sharing information and knowledge regarding challenges and efforts undertaken in the G7 and ASEAN Ministries/Departments and b) How to ensure and develop human resources in the law and justice field taking into account gender perspectives.

After the discussions, participants made presentations based on each theme and shared diverse ideas that respected various perspectives through the dialog beyond boundaries between ASEAN and the G7. On the final day, as the conclusion of the forum, each group delivered a presentation summarising their discussions.

In order to broaden their understanding of the Japanese justice system, participants visited correctional facilities (Medical Correction Center in East Japan and Tokyo–Nishi Juvenile Assessment Center), the Supreme Court, the National Diet of Japan, and offender rehabilitation facilities (KOSHIN-KAI and SAISHU-KAI).

At the closing ceremony, participants received certificates of completion. This brought the conclusion of the 1st ASEAN-G7 Next Leaders Forum.

The 1st ASEAN-G7 Next Leaders Forum is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).