The ASEAN Secretariat is excited to announce ASEAN’s participation at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan from 13 April to 13 October 2025.

During the Expo, ASEAN will highlight its regional cooperation efforts and showcase the diversity and dynamism of the region.

“Expo 2025 provides ASEAN a unique platform to share our story of unity, progress, and sustainability with a global audience,” said Nararya Soeprapto, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Corporate and Community Affairs and Commissioner-General of Section of ASEAN Secretariat at the World Expo 2025. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to the ASEAN Pavilion, where they can learn about our rich cultural heritage, economic development, and commitment to a shared future.”

Embracing the theme “Building Bridges”, the ASEAN Pavilion will feature various exhibits, informative displays, interactive activities, cultural performances, and thematic programmes that underscore the region’s strengths and aspirations in fostering connections rather than divisions.

Other ASEAN Member States, such as Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam, will also participate in the upcoming Expo.

The World Expo is a global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions to the pressing challenges of our time by offering a journey inside a universal theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. Held every five years, ASEAN participated at Expo Dubai 2020, attracting over 300,000 visitors from the region and beyond.

ASEAN’s participation at the World Expo 2025 Osaka is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

The Eighth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group to Develop the ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan was held on 11-12 November at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Director General of International Cooperation Department at Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Lao PDR, Khamphou Phiasackha and the Under Secretary of International Relations Division (Culture) at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, Dr. Christina Yeo Ken Yin.

Khamphou Phiasackha expressed his appreciation for the substantial progress made in the development of the ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan and underscored the importance of finalising the draft strategic plan on time. Dr. Christina Yeo Ken Yin also commended the rigorous work of the Ad Hoc Working Group during the drafting sessions of the ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan and leading the stakeholder engagement initiatives which gathered important insights and recommendations on the ASCC Post-2025 agenda.

The meeting is part of the activities to support the Development of the ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan Project under the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) 3.0.

Taica participated in the 2nd ASEAN Football4SDGs Phnom Penh Workshop, held on October 23, 2024 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Taica were invited to the workshop in recognition of the sustainability activities (community contribution initiatives) and have been carrying out in Cambodia.

ASEAN Football4SDGs is a project that in collaboration with the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). The project explores how the implementation of soccer and the overall business environment (ecosystem) can contribute to achieving the SDGs at the national level in ASEAN countries. As part of this project, workshops are being held in the three pilot countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand), where stakeholders from soccer-related organizations in both Japan and the pilot countries gather to discuss and collaborate.

The ASEAN Regional Workshop on Royalty Related Issues on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) with Japan Customs was conducted on 5 – 7 November 2024 in Yokohama, Japan with the support from the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

The training would benefit Customs Administrations of all ASEAN Member States (AMS) in terms of increasing understanding of particular topics on PCA, such as royalties, licence fee, and transfer pricing from Customs perspectives. It would also contribute to raising the skills and knowledge of PCA administrators in examining the impact of tax evasion and illegal practices on Customs procedures.

The training was officiated by the Director of Coordination Division of Yokohama Customs Taketsugu Shuichi. He hoped this workshop would be fruitful and beneficial for both ASEAN Customs administrations and Japan Customs.

The ASEAN-ERAT Level 2 Course on Information Management was held successfully in Vientiane, Lao PDR from 30 September to 4 October 2024. This course focused on enhancing ASEAN-ERAT members’ skills in data collection, analysis, and developing communication and information products for effective disaster management responses.

Information Management plays a crucial role in ensuring prompt and well-informed decisions during crises. Participants enhanced their skills to become proficient in essential Information Management competencies and to support disaster management efforts across the ASEAN region.

The course was supported by the host, the Social Welfare Department of Lao PDR, the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), and facilitators from the ASEAN Member States, MapAction and United Nations OCHA.