About ASCOJA
The ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni (ASCOJA), established on 11 June 1977 is a regional association of major alumni organizations in all the 10 ASEAN countries of former graduates, scholars, students, and trainees of Japanese universities, schools and training institutions. It is one of the major conduits for scholarships and exchange programs between Japan and ASEAN. There are in total more than 10,000 members across all the 10 chapter alumni organizations and includes many top past and present leaders in government, academia and business world.
In 1977, during the timing of warming Japan-ASEAN relationship, then-Prime Minister of Japan Fukuda Takeo declared his famous Fukuda Doctrine of “Heart-to-Heart”relations, through which Japan committed to build relationships with Southeast Asian countries on the basis of mutual confidence and trust.
On March 25, 1977, a “Protocol of Intent to Organize” was signed in Singapore by representatives of five Japan alumni associations from ASEAN. On June 11, 1977, after several days of meetings among officials of the five founding associations at the newly built Philippines International Convention Center in Manila, the ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni (ASCOJA) was officially established.
ASCOJA Conferences
1977 – 2022
Year | Host | Venue | Theme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1977 | PHILFEJA | Manila | Inauguration and Organizational Meeting |
2 | 1978 | PERSADA | Jakarta | Inauguration and Organizational Meeting |
3 | 1979 | OJSAT | Bangkok | Inauguration and Organizational Meeting |
4 | 1981 | PHILFEJA | Manila | Towards a More Meaningful ASCOJA |
5 | 1983 | JAGAM | Kuala Lumpur | Look East |
6 | 1985 | JUGAS | Singapore | ASEAN and Japan Relationship Towards the 21st century |
7 | 1987 | PERSADA | Jakarta | Japan and ASEAN in the Next Decade |
8 | 1989 | OJSAT | Bangkok | Japan and ASEAN in the Next Decade |
9 | 1991 | PHILFEJA | Manila | Strengthening ASCOJA in the Nineties |
10 | 1993 | JAGAM | Kuala Lumpur | Solidarity via ASCOJA |
11 | 1995 | JUGAS | Singapore | Kokoro to Kokoro |
12 | 1997 | PERSADA | Jakarta | Heart to Heart |
13 | 1999 | OJSAT | Bangkok | ASCOJA in the 21st century |
14 | 2001 | PHILFEJA | Manila | ASCOJA and ASJA: a Dynamic Partnership in the 21st Century |
15 | 2003 | JAGAM | Kuala Lumpur | Future Cooperation Between ASEAN and Japan |
16 | 2005 | JUGAS | Singapore | ASEAN and Japan Partnership Scaling New Heights & Riding New Challenges |
17 | 2007 | PERSADA | Jakarta | Integrated and Community-Based Waste Management |
18 | 2009 | MAJA | Yangon | Bridging Japan and ASEAN Countries Through Better Education |
19 | 2012 | OJSAT | Bangkok | ASCOJA in the Next Decade: Toward the Emerging Issues and Opportunities |
20 | 2013 | VAJA (formerly JAV) | Hanoi | ASCOJA Towards the Cooperation and Development of ASEAN and Japan |
21 | 2015 | PHILFEJA | Manila | ASCOJA in an Integrated ASEAN |
22 | 2016 | JAGAM | Kuala Lumpur | ASEAN and Japan: Bridging Ties in Trade, Tourism and Technology |
23 | 2017 | BAJA | Brunei | Enriching ASEAN and Japan Relations through Culture, Education and Economy |
24 | 2018 | JAC | Siem Reap | Strengthening ASEAN Relations through Tourism: The Role of ASCOJA |
25 | 2019 | JAOL | Vientiane | Succeeding Together ASEAN and Japan: Towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games |
26 | 2022 | JUGAS | Singapore | Out of the tunnel and into the light –
The new norm after Covid-19 for ASEAN and Japan |
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About JUGAS
JUGAS is an Alumni of non-Japanese citizens residing in the Republic of Singapore who have completed their tertiary education in Japan.
JUGAS was formed on 19th December 1970, and has ever since been a uniting force among fellow graduates from Japanese Universities. Currently, we have 460 members who graduated from Universities from all parts of Japan, and Associate Members who have completed non-degree courses from colleges in Japan, or are students currently studying for Degree Courses in the universities in Japan.
Our members’ profiles are diverse, ranging from CEOs, Managing Directors of Multinational and Singapore Companies to top civil servants in the Government offices, young and promising graduates who just started out in their careers. There are also active retirees who participate in JUGAS events regularly.
JUGAS maintains strong ties with The Embassy of Japan in Singapore, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) Singapore, Japanese Cultural Society Singapore (JCS), Japanese Association Singapore (JAS), The Japanese Schools and the Japanese community in Singapore. We often organise activities to promote and enhance the public understanding of Japanese culture and language. We also have social and networking activities with other alumni organisations such as NUSS, NTUA, BAS (British) and AAS (Australia) through the Alumni International Singapore (AIS).
Internationally, JUGAS maintains a close relationship with the other Japanese Graduates’ Associations in the ASEAN countries through ASCOJA (ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni) and its counterpart ASJA (Asia Japan Alumni) International in Japan.
JUGAS helps organise re-union trips and students exchange programs to Japan, and help administer a few scholarship programs including ASCOJA-MEXT Scholarship for Post Graduate and Undergraduate Studies. JUGAS administers a ”JUAGAS Education and Cultural Exchange Fund” to collaborate with Nagoya University and The University of Tokyo in their G30 4-year Undergraduate Programs which provide scholarship to high school and polytechnic graduates to pursue further study in Japan. JUGAS continues to explore collaboration with other Universities to increase choices of tertiary education institutes for Singapore students.
In September 2005, JUGAS was awarded Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendations (日本国外務大臣表彰) for our effort in supporting students to study in Japan, and networking of returned graduates leading to enhancement of mutual understanding between Japan and Singapore.
(日本への留学支援、帰国留学生間の交流支援等を通じた日・シンガポール間の相互理解促進への貢献・功績を表彰)