BANDUNG, UNIKOM — To strengthen social relations and friendship between the Indonesian and Japanese, the Association for Japanese Studies in Indonesia (ASJI) collaborates with Universitas Komputer (UNIKOM) through the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) and the Japanese Literature Study Program to hold the 2025 International Symposium & Seminar on Japanese Studies in Indonesia with the theme “The Era of Digitalization in Japan and Indonesia: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Relations and Friendship between the Two Nations.” It was held at the 17th Floor Auditorium of the UNIKOM Smart Building. This two-day event on November 28-29, 2025, brought together national and international academics and researchers to discuss the opportunities and challenges of digitalization today.
The Head of the Japanese Literature Study Program, who also serves as the Chair of the event, Dr. Pitri Haryanti, S.Pd., M.Pd., expressed her gratitude for the holding of the ASJI 2025 International Symposium & Seminar on Japanese Studies in Indonesia, and appreciated all the speakers and participants who attended and contributed to enriching the academic discourse in the field of Japanese Studies. She appreciated ASJI for entrusting UNIKOM as the host and emphasized that the theme, “The Era of Digitalization in Japan and Indonesia: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Relations and Friendship Between the Two Nations,” was very relevant in addressing the challenges of digital transformation that affect social, cultural, and collaborative relations between the two countries.
The next speech was delivered by the Director of the Japan Foundation, Mr. Inami Kazumi. He expressed his appreciation to ASJI and UNIKOM for organizing the international symposium, as well as to all keynote speakers, panelists, and participants who had shown a strong commitment to advancing Japanese studies. Mr. Inami also emphasized that the contributions of academics and researchers in the forum played an important role in shaping the future of Indonesia-Japan relations, especially as both countries are now entering a digital era that brings significant changes in various aspects of life. Mr. Inami Kazumi encouraged all participants to actively participate in each discussion session to strengthen the bonds of friendship and mutual understanding between the people of both countries for the future generations.
Meanwhile, ASJI Chairman Julian Aldrin Pasha, M.A., Ph.D., expressed his deepest gratitude to all stakeholders, especially UNIKOM, for supporting the symposium. “I hope that scientific activities like this can continue as a space for collaboration for the Japanese Studies community in Indonesia. ASJI always strives to coordinate and collaborate on various interests in Japanese studies, whether in the fields of education, research, or friendship between Indonesia and Japan. In the midst of the era of digitalization and technological developments that continue to unfold, including the presence of artificial intelligence, it is only fitting that we use this as an opportunity to further strengthen the academic and social relations between the two countries,” he concluded.
Vice Rector II for Resources of UNIKOM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Agus Riyanto, S.T., M.T., CSBA., representing UNIKOM Rector, Prof. 3 Prof. HC. Dr. Ir. Eddy Soeryanto Soegoto, M.T., stated, “This activity is the result of collaboration and dedication from various parties in sharing knowledge, especially in the midst of an era of digitalization that continues to influence education, communication, industry, and human interaction.” Furthermore, he hoped that this event would become a forum for the exchange of ideas, research, and strategic insights to strengthen academic and social relations between Indonesia and Japan.
Ten speakers were present at the symposium, coming from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, including Prof. Sonoda Shigeto (The University of Tokyo, Japan), Prof. Dr. Datuk Dr. Khairuddin Ab. Hamid (Universiti Teknologi Sarawak, Malaysia), Dr. Eng. Sunu Wibirama, S.T., M.Eng., IPM (Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia), Assoc. Prof. Samoekan Sophanhiranrak, Ph.D. (Thammasat University, Thailand), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iris Haukamp (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan), and Hanhan Maulana, Ph.D. (UNIKOM, Indonesia). The speakers presented topics on Japanese cultural dynamics, digital transformation in global society, cultural diplomacy, and future research collaboration opportunities. The scientific discussion was enthusiastic and generated new ideas for developing Japanese studies research in Indonesia.
The symposium closed with a two-day parallel presentation session attended by researcher, academics, and students from various universities, including UNIKOM. Through this event, ASJI and UNIKOM hope to strengthen academic networks between countries and, as a follow-up, will continue to open opportunities for research collaboration, scientific exchange, and educational cooperation in the future. (Directorate of Hms & Pro)
