Japan-ASEAN Student Council 2020

Proposal

January 15, 2021

By MIS

(a Japanese non-profit organization)

Outline

1. Overview

2. Details

3. Post-conference

1
1. Overview
Project summary
“Japan-ASEAN student council 2020” is an online multilateral student conference, accepting
around 60 students from all over Southeast Asia and Japan. The theme of this year is “society of
post covid-19 era.”
We MIS and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan have held a JENESYS program “Japan ASEAN
student conference” in 2018 and 2019. This year, by utilizing the experiences and collaborating
with MOFA, MIS organizes “Japan-ASEAN student council 2020”.

Date
February 16, 2021〜 March 8, 2021
・Feb. 16th : Kick-off event
・Feb. 28th〜Mar. 5th : Main conference（Lectures and workshops in each division）
・Mar. 8th : Final presentation session

Objectives
A) To create and maintain an effective multilateral network by facilitating mutual understandings
among students who have a wide variety of backgrounds.
B) For every participant to become a global leader who can see the social problems from wider
perspectives and encourage the multilateral collaborations.
C) To create an action plan which tackles the actual social problems in Asia and try to implement
it afterwards.
D) To experience and understand how to approach global issues throughout talking about covid-
19 pandemic which affects the whole world with students from other countries.

Project description
We hold an online multilateral student conference, accepting around 20-30 students from all
over Southeast Asia and Japan. This conference is comprised of three phases, “Kick-off
event”, “Main conference” and “Final presentation session,” followed by “Implementation”
afterwards.
Kick-off event, which is held online in February 16th, 2021, consists of ①Keynote Speech of
prominent researchers from Japan and Southeast Asia, ②Ice-Break Session, and ③Briefing
session of themes dealt in main conference.
In the Main conference, participants will be divided into 4 divisions according to detailed
perspectives. Each division has a theme related to “post covid-19 society,” and participants
will take some lectures about the themes. In workshops, by utilizing knowledge they get from
the lectures, participants will discuss how to approach identified social problems which are
related to the theme of the division in order to make Action Plans, and project ideas to resolve
the identified problem. In the workshops, we utilize MIS’s original frameworks to make

2
 projects. Each division will have a presentation about their Action Plans in the Final
Presentation Session.
Main conference will be held online. Some online interactions tools such as a) Slack, b)
Zoom, c) Google Document, d) Google Jamboard, e) Google Slide, etc. will be used. These
tools will make online discussion as efficient and effective as possible.
In the Final Presentation Session, participants are supposed to explain their action plans
based on what they get from this student conference. It will be held together with JENESYS
2019 Following-Up Conference Final Presentation Session.

2. Details
① Kick-off event (2/16)
Description
In this event, we share the main objective of the student council with participants, which is to
create an action plan which tackles the social problem in the region. We welcome two prominent
professors of ASEAN and Japan ‒ Professor Wing Thyne Woo (UC Davis, department of economics;
Co-chair of SDSN ASEAN), Professor Kiichi Fujiwara (UTokyo, faculty of law) ‒ as keynote speakers
in order to get the shared basic knowledge of SDGs achievement in ASEAN, meanings of Japan-ASEAN
relation for dealing with social problems.
In addition, we hold an ice-break session in each division for participants to build relationships
with one another. Also, we try to deepen our understandings on theme and check each countryʼs
situation based on preparation such as pre-assignment.

Contents
Contents Time Details
Greetings from MIS 12:40~13:00 Greetings and explanation of student council from MIS
head.
Keynote Speech① 13:00~13:30 TBD
（Prof. Fujiwara）
Discussion 13:30~13:45 Discussion and comments of Prof. Woo and Prof.
Fujiwara
Keynote Speech② 13:45~14:15 “to report the challenges to achieving the SDGs in
（Prof. Woo） ASEAN, and to discuss how to overcome these
challenges via ASEAN-Japan cooperation”
Q&A 14:15~14:30 Questions from participants
Guidance 14:30~ Explanation on schedules, contents, etc.
Ice break 15:00~ Ice break session within each division
(* we will set another zoom URL, so please check e-mail
from your division leader.)

3
② Main conference (2/28~3/5)
*Please check appendix to see the temporary schedule.

Group A：Education
Theme
In this 21st century, with the progression of globalization, IT technologies, Chinese great
economic growth and so on, we are now living in an era of reform. Along with this, “the ideal type of
human resources being sought” has also been changed. Each government, including Japan and
Southeast Asian countries, has listed a revision of the educational system as one of the most important
issues, because education is regarded as the basis of human resources development. In Southeast Asia,
various reforms such as the introduction and expansion of compulsory education, international
language education and education for ethnic minorities have been progressed. At the global level as
well, such as ICT education and EdTech are attracting people’s attention. In this way, nowadays, the
way of education is greatly reconsidered.
Facing with the outbreak of the COVID-19, each country became conscious of the need to take
some measures in education. Japanese government once decided to close schools, tried to introduce
online lesson, introduced staggered attendance and opened schools again. Also, in Southeast Asian
countries, lots of measures such as an establishment of online-learning platform and an introduction of
remote teaching system using television or radio broadcasting have been implemented.
Such attempts have suggested a new way of education and have also revealed both good points
and problems. The good points are that, they have promoted the use of ICT and the possibility of more
free learning styles. Besides, in some part of Southeast Asia, they have even contributed to ease traffic
congestion and shorten commuting time. On the other hand, unimproved Internet environment, the
limitation of online / remote learning and widening disparities among schools and homes can be written
as problems. There is also another matter of concern. That is these kinds of measures which were taken
by each country’s government could directly lead disparities among countries.
In this Council, we are going to discuss under the theme of “education”. We believe that
discussing this theme from the students’ view, who have different background and who might lead the
future ASEAN and the world, would be meaningful to establish a society, where diversity is respected
and learning is not stopped under any crisis.

Schedule (TBD)
Group B：Tourism
Theme
At this Tourism Division, we put “the new style of tourism” as our basic theme and discuss
“how tourism should be from now on” and those critical matters concerning the Tourism Industry.
Looking at the data, tourism is one of the central pillars that supports the economy of countries
belonging ASEAN, no doubt including Japan. Therefore, the impact of the Covid-19 on the

4
 Tourism Industry is immeasurable. Restricting people from moving over the borders proved to be
the deathblow to the tourism businesses and still, uncertain situations continue, cannot estimate
when the situation turns to normal, before the pandemic.
In order to pass the crisis, the new style of tourism that is available to survive under not only
the pandemic but also the post-Covid-19 are required. We can say that Micro-Tourism and
Workation can be the best examples of the new hope for the Tourism Industry. We believe it has
something wonderful that the students from the whole ASEAN countries gather, sharing the
situations of their own countries, discussing what shape of the new tourism can be the most
effective to settle the crises, and considering how to make the idea more feasible and more
sustainable about the issue in the tourism industry.

Schedule (TBD)

Group C：Human mobility

Theme
The globalized society now needs human mobility in order to maintain people’s lives according to
economic behaviors. ASEAN countries, in particular, have four times as many people who travel across
ASEAN countries as that of 1995, which has greatly contributed to the economic development of Asia.
Human mobility, however, is now one of the factors of the pandemic of Covid-19. The number of
people going for a drive and flying abroad dramatically decreases in accordance with regulation for
internal and international movement. It is said that less movement for the purpose of business and
sightseeing remarkably damages the economy. Here comes the tradeoff between revitalization of the
economy and control of the pandemic.
It is concluded that the tradeoff has to be considered in order to decide to what extent human
mobility is allowed and which transportation is. However, no one can improve the tradeoff by tackling
it alone. To tackle the tradeoff, it is indispensable for each country to share information, consider the
solution, and act together. That is why this department is worth inviting students from various southeast
countries and tackling human mobility with Covid-19.

Schedule (TBD)

Group D：Sustainable city

Theme
Asian countries are characterized by a high degree of concentration of population in their
capitals. Last year, the top seven cities in the world's population ranking were all Asian cities. And in
the near future, all major cities in Southeast Asia will be mega-cities. The new coronavirus pandemic
reignited the population concentration problem and raised public concern in the ASEAN countries,

5
 where the population and central functions are concentrated in a single capital city, by causing spread
and lockdown in the capital cities.
In retrospect, however, even before the pandemic, the problem of declining birth rates and
widening disparities in capitals due to the concentration of populations in the capitals was seen as a
problem. In Tokyo, the world's most densely populated city, has the lowest birth rate in the country.
The gap between the rich and the poor has intensified in Manila, where the population has
become extremely concentrated in recent years. There, the poor have created slums and worsened
the security of the capital. The multi-polar decentralized city concept has been proposed as a solution
to the problem of population concentration, but it has not been realized until now because of the
concentration of businesses and jobs in the capital.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has positively changed the situation for the multi-polar
decentralized city concept. The public's sense of urgency about the excessive concentration of
population has increased, and the benefits of concentration in the capital have decreased due to the
loosening trend of geographical restrictions on work caused by the progression of remote working
style. This has made it easier for the public to accept living outside the capital. Consequently, the
debate on the multi-polar decentralized city concept has become more active.
During such a tremendous year with change, .it is highly important to discuss how to create an
attractive town for young people, which will help to build multipolar and decentralized city. This is
not only an ideal but a feasible plan that appeals to the young generation, with the students who are
going to be the future leaders of ASEAN countries.

Schedule (TBD)

③ Final presentation session (3/8)

Description
The Final Presentation Session will be held jointly with the other project held by MIS in this
spring. It is the JENESYS 2019 Following-Up Conference. Both of these two projects aim to make
networks among students in Japan and Southeast Asia. Therefore, by setting an opportunity of mutual
evaluation, they can reflect on their action plans, and it will facilitate the implementation of Action plans.
Moreover, making students multilateral networks can make joint-partnerships between Japan and
Southeast Asia in the future.

Contents
Contents Time Details
Greetings from Japan MOFA 13:00~ Greetings from Japan MOFA staff in charge of JENESYS

Keynote Speech 13:05~ Prof. Shiraishi (International Relations; GRIPS)

（Prof. Shiraishi） “Japan-ASEAN relationships and importance of youth
interaction”

6
 Career Lecture from JENESYS 13:45~ Explanation of career paths following participation in
alumni JENESYS programs
Presentation from Follow-up of 14:10~ Presentation of action plans which is brushed up in Follow-
JENESYS 2019 Japan-ASEAN up conference
student conference
Presentation from Japan- 15:00~ Presentation of action plans which is created in Japan-
ASEAN student council 2020 ASEAN student council 2020
Comments from SDSN 15:40~ Comments on action plans presented from “implementation”
Youth(TBA) point of view
Closing remarks 15:55~ Remarks from JICE / MIS

3. Post-conference
Implementation
After main conference, we would like participants to implement Action Plans proposed in
the presentation session. Because we MIS have a lot of working projects which aim to resolve
social problems occurring in Southeast Asia, we can make use of our networks and knowledge.
Moreover, this student conference is also supported by SDSN Youth, a youth program of
SDSN (Sustainable Development Solutions Network), which is established by Secretary-
General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. We are planning to coordinate with them to
implement action plans. From the action plans of Japan-ASEAN Students Conference 2018,
one of the projects in Malaysia is now ongoing.

7
 EDUCATION

I
n this 21st century, with the progression of
globalization, IT technologies, Chinese great
economic growth and so on, we are now living in an
era of reform. Along with this, “the ideal type of human
resources being sought” has also been changed. Each
government, including Japan and Southeast Asian
countries, has listed a revision of the educational system
as one of the most important issues, because education is
regarded as the basis of human resources development. In
Southeast Asia, various reforms such as the introduction
and expansion of compulsory education, international language education and education for
ethnic minorities have been progressed. At the global level as well, such as ICT education and
EdTech are attracting peopleʼs attention. In this way, nowadays, the way of education is greatly
reconsidered.
Facing with the outbreak of the COVID-19, each country became conscious of the need to
take some measures in education. Japanese government once decided to close schools, tried
to introduce online lesson, introduced staggered attendance and opened schools again. Also,
in Southeast Asian countries, lots of measures such as an establishment of online-learning
platform and an introduction of remote teaching system using television or radio broadcasting
have been implemented.
Such attempts have suggested a new way of education and have also revealed both good
points and problems. The good points are that, they have promoted the use of ICT and the
possibility of more free learning styles. Besides, in some part of Southeast Asia, they have even
contributed to ease traffic congestion and shorten commuting time. On the other hand,
unimproved Internet environment, the limitation of online / remote learning and widening
disparities among schools and homes can be written as problems. There is also another matter
of concern. That is these kinds of measures which were taken by each countryʼs government
could directly lead disparities among countries.
In this Council, we are going to discuss under the theme of “education”. We believe that
discussing this theme from the studentsʼ view, who have different background and who might
lead the future ASEAN and the world, would be meaningful to establish a society, where
diversity is respected and learning is not stopped under any crisis.
 Contents and schedule 2021/01/04 ver.
Date Rough Contents
Please submit the pre-assignment😊
%
$
#
"
-What is the purpose of education?
Pre-Council Task
-What problems can you see in education?
-Share the current educational situation in your country!
AM Ice-Break Letʼs know and get along with each other!!
What is the meaning for us to discuss about education?
2/28 Work Shop➀
PM Share the pre-assignment!
Lecture⑴
AM Work Shop② Categorize and analyze problems in education.
Lecture⑵
3/1 Look back on the past activities which we have done so far.
PM
Work Shop③ Explain about the final presentation and the activities we are
going to do in the next 5days.
AM
Lecture⑶
3/2 Do Ice-Break with your team members!
PM
Work Shop④ Decide which problem your team is going to tackle and briefly
talk about how your group is going to deal with it.
AM Lecture⑷
3/3 Think and decide the project with your team members and
PM Work Shop⑤
prepare for the mid-term presentation.
AM Lecture⑸
3/4
PM Work Shop⑥ Prepare for the mid-term presentation!
AM Mid-term Presentation
3/5 Feedback and announcement of the best project team.
PM
Prepare for the final presentation!
3/6
3/7
3/8 Final Presentation

We are all looking forward to seeing you and having discussions with you!!
 TOURISM

A
t this Tourism Division, we put “the new style of
tourism” as our basic theme and discuss “how
tourism should be from now on” and those critical
matters concerning the Tourism Industry.
Looking at the data, tourism is one of the central pillars
that supports the economy of countries belonging ASEAN,
no doubt including Japan.
Therefore, the impact of the Covid-19 on the Tourism
Industry is immeasurable.
Restricting people from moving over the borders proved to be the deathblow to the tourism
businesses and still, uncertain situations continue, cannot estimate when the situation turns
to normal, before the pandemic.
In order to pass the crisis, the new style of tourism that is available to survive under not
only the pandemic but also the post-Covid-19 are required . We can say that Micro-Tourism
and Workation can be the best examples of the new hope for the Tourism Industry.
We believe it has something wonderful that the students from the whole ASEAN countries
gather, sharing the situations of their own countries, discussing what shape of the new tourism
can be the most effective to settle the crises, and considering how to make the idea more
feasible and more sustainable about the issue in the tourism industry.
At the Tourism Division, we want you to acquire expertises of the future tourism through
focusing on the projects created after the pandemic and groping for the new style of tourism.
 Contents and schedule 2021/01/09 ver.
Date Rough Contents
Icebreak
Sharing time Share the present condition of each country using the pre-task.
As the introduction, explain about the general situation of Japan, the
2/28 PM
Lecture⑴ changes before and after the pandemic of Covid-19 and the new style
of tourism.
Reflection
Ask what measures the hotel business is planning to take to deal with
AM Lecture⑵ the current situation of the Corona disaster.

3/1 Think why we should think about our theme "New style of tourism"
(why thinking this theme is important). In what way thinking about the
PM Workshop①
theme is beneficial for us? After that, think more concretely about what
style we do as an action plan.
Ask the private trip in the days with Covid-19.
AM Lecture⑶
(including the encitement to the venues which are not spotlighted)
3/2
Workshop② Decide which problem your team is going to tackle with.
PM
Reflection Talk about how your group is going to deal with it.
AM Workshop③ Free-time
3/3 Lecture⑷ Learn the relationship between tourism and local communities.
PM
Workshop④ Discuss the frame of the action plan and its risks/concerns.
Know the view about tourism from DMO.(Destination
AM Lecture⑸
Management/Marketing Organization)
3/4
Workshop⑤ Project details, considering sustainability.(finance, community)
PM
Workshop⑥ Free-time
AM Workshop⑦ Discuss the project deeply, revision.
Mid-term Elect the best idea through presentation.
3/5
PM Presentation
Preparation for the final presentation!
3/6
3/7
Final
3/8
Presentation
We are looking forward to seeing you in February, certainly on Zoom !
 HUMAN MOBILITY

I
n recent years, technological advances have
enabled high-speed travel and have made it
more comfortable. In this context, according to
globalization, movement within nations as well as
between nations has become essential for human life
and economic activities. ASEAN countries, in
particular, have over four times as many people who
travel across ASEAN countries as that of 1995, which
has greatly contributed to the economic development
of Asia.
On the other hand, human mobility is considered to be one of the major causes of the
spread of Covid-19, and many countries have implemented various restrictions on human
mobility. In Asia, many countries have banned movement between countries and conducted
restriction of movement within countries like lockdowns. As a result, the movement of people
has been greatly reduced, which has had a huge negative impact on human life and economic
activities. Thus, it can be said that there is a trade-off between stimulating economic and
social activities and preventing the spread of Covid-19.
At present, people and companies in various industries are making efforts on breaking
down the trade-off. For example, in tourism, short trips to nearby places are increasing, and
in business, remote work is being introduced. Wearing masks, social distancing and
sanitization, which is being practiced as the way to prevent infections during economic and
social activities, are familiar to people and various companies. While these activities have
achieved a certain level of success, there are still many issues to be solved.
Therefore, the council is going to study efforts on breaking the trade-offs made by various
industries, such as tourism and transportation. After the efforts are classified and organized,
we are going to have a discussion in order to create new ideas and better the present measures.
The way people move between countries and within countries is not something that can
be defined by one country. Sometimes we need to be aligned, and sometimes we need to share
information so that we can come up with the best solution for each situation. Why donʼt we
share the interdisciplinary and global perspectives and consider what human mobility is going
to be?
 Contents and schedule 2021/01/04 ver.
Date Rough Contents
Pre-Council Task Participants research social changes and policies according to Covid-19.
AM
Opening All members gather and introduce each other.
We have a lecture about an overview of ASEAN and its history. We also
2/28 Lecture⑴ learn how human mobility has contributed to the economic development
PM
in Asia.
Participants share status quo and how to prevent the pandemic based on
Work Shop①
the Prior Task.
We learn the trade-off between stimulating economic activity and
Lecture⑵
AM preventing the spread of infection.
Ice Break We divide all participants into multiple groups and break the ice.
We organize the relationship between migration, infection, and the
economy. We also confirm the importance of considering "New Forms of
3/1 Work Shop②
Human Mobility" that maintain economic activities while reducing the
PM risk of infection.
Using a Logic Tree, Each team classifies and organizes the efforts being
Work Shop③ made in various countries to realize "New Forms of Human Mobility"
based on the Prior Task and Work Shop ①.
Work Shop④ Each team continues discussing what they deal with in Work Shop ③.
AM We learn Remote Work, a form of work that has been adapted by many
Lecture⑶
companies as a way to avoid crowding after the pandemic occurs.
3/2
We learn the current situation of the Tourism Industry, which has been
PM Lecture⑷ damaged by movement restrictions. Furthermore, we learn the efforts of
the industry to overcome this situation.
We learn the current situation of the Passenger Transportation Industry,
AM Lecture⑸ which has suffered from movement restrictions. We also focus on the
efforts of the industry to overcome this situation.
With the contents of Lecture ⑶, ⑷, and ⑸, Each team improves and
3/3 Work Shop⑤
refines the Logic Tree created in Work Shop ③ and ④.
PM Based on the completed Logic Tree, each team considers ideas to
Work Shop⑥ bettering the existing activities or ideas for new attempts, which leads to
create Action Plan.
3/4 AM Work Shop⑦ Each team continues discussing what they deal with in Work Shop ⑥.
 PM Work Shop⑧ Each team prepares for the Mid-Term Presentation.
Mid-term
AM Each team presents Logic Tree and Action Plan made by your team.
3/5 Presentation
PM Participants prepare for the Final Presentation.
3/6
3/7
Final Participants present what you learned and action plan to all the
3/8
Presentation participants of the council.

We welcome all of you building a better future together!

 SUSTAINABLE CITY

A
sian countries are characterized by a high
degree of concentration of population in
their capitals. Last year, the top seven cities
in the world's population ranking were all Asian cities.
And in the near future, all major cities in Southeast
Asia will be mega-cities. The new coronavirus
pandemic reignited the population concentration
problem and raised public concern in the ASEAN
countries, where the population and central functions
are concentrated in a single capital city, by causing
spread and lockdown in the capital cities.
In retrospect, however, even before the pandemic, the problem of declining birth rates and
widening disparities in capitals due to the concentration of populations in the capitals was
seen as a problem. In Tokyo, the world's most densely populated city, has the lowest birth rate
in the country.
The gap between the rich and the poor has intensified in Manila, where the population has
become extremely concentrated in recent years. There, the poor have created slums and
worsened the security of the capital. The multi-polar decentralized city concept has been
proposed as a solution to the problem of population concentration, but it has not been realized
until now because of the concentration of businesses and jobs in the capital.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has positively changed the situation for the multi-polar
decentralized city concept. The public's sense of urgency about the excessive concentration
of population has increased, and the benefits of concentration in the capital have decreased
due to the loosening trend of geographical restrictions on work caused by the progression of
remote working style. This has made it easier for the public to accept living outside the capital.
Consequently, the debate on the multi-polar decentralized city concept has become more
active.
During such a tremendous year with change, .it is highly important to discuss how to create
an attractive town for young people, which will help to build multipolar and decentralized city.
This is not only an ideal but a feasible plan that appeals to the young generation, with the
students who are going to be the future leaders of ASEAN countries.
 Contents and schedule 2021/01/04 ver.
Date Rough Contents
Pre-Council Task
List up problems which are happening right now in the capitals of each
country.
AM Work Shop① Share how is the infection status of Covid-19 in each country, like there.
is an increasing number of people in the city who get infected or a lot
of people are having trouble because of lockdown.
2/28 Pick up some problems previously listed up.
Work Shop②
Each group discuss what is causing such demerits.
Professor Seta gives a lecture about the population concentration and
PM
problems caused by it, such as widening disparity and the declining
Lecture⑴
birth rate.
He also mentions the topic about the population concentration widely.
The government gives a lecture about the current situation of the
AM Lecture⑵ population concentration; the youth is mainly causing this problem.
He also introduces the policy to disperse the young people.
3/1
Provided the city functions, students discuss how each of the multipolar
PM Work Shop③ decentralized cities obtains the necessary functions.
Introduction of the graphic recording
Mr. Nangumo from Smart City Institute gives a lecture about smart city
AM Lecture⑶ development which is attractive for the young and accomplishes the
multipolar decentralized cities.
Interview session
3/2 Each team interviews their acquaintances (more than two) about what
is an ideal city for them and summarizes the content into pictures; they
PM Work Shop④
have to take some pictures which include the favorite place in their
town, such place for their acquaintances and the most common place
in their town.
The presentation about what we learn from the interview
Students have to show four pictures; an image of an ideal city, favorite
AM Work Shop⑤
3/3 places for them, favorite places for their acquaintances and the most
common place in their town.
PM Work Shop⑥ Students discuss the city concept that is attractive for the young.
3/4 AM Lecture⑷ Yamagata Design gives a lecture about how they make an attractive city
 for the young and also shows examples.
The preparation for the midterm presentation: Students get a mission
that, in a fictional city, they, as the youth representative, build five
institutes which draw an attention of the young and make them move
PM Work Shop⑦
into the city.
Students have to explain the content of the institutes and why they
choose to decide to build such institutes.
Mid-term
AM
Presentation
3/5
Feedback session
PM
Instruction about what we should do for the final presentation
The winning team= the preparation for the final presentation
3/6
The other teams= the brief summary of this conference
The winning team= the preparation for the final presentation
3/7
The other teams= the brief summary of this conference
Final
3/8 A keynote speech, the final presentations and the feedback etc.
Presentation