REPORT Results of participation in the 2nd ASEAN-G7 Future Leaders Forum in Japan

REPORT
Results of participation in the 2nd ASEAN-G7 Future Leaders Forum in Japan
(September 26 - October 1, 2025)

 
In accordance with Decision No. 2663/QD-BTP dated August 22, 2025, of the Minister of Justice on sending civil servants abroad, the group of civil servants from the Ministry of Justice attended the second ASEAN-G7 Future Leaders Forum (NLF) in Japan from September 26 to October 1, 2025, with the following composition:
- Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nguyen, specialist in the International Cooperation Department;
- Mr. Le Hong Duong, specialist in the Department of Drafting Legal Documents;
- Ms. Pham Hong Nhung, specialist at the Department of Document Inspection and Management of Administrative Violations.
Based on the Regulations on the Management of Foreign Affairs Activities of the Ministry of Justice issued together with Decision No. 2038/QD-BTP dated October 28, 2024, by the Minister of Justice, the Working Group reports to Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Tinh and the Leaders of the International Cooperation Department on the results of the second participation in the NLF as follows:

The ASEAN-G7 Future Leaders Forum (NLF) is an initiative proposed by the Japanese Minister of Justice at the first meeting of ASEAN-G7 Ministers of Justice held on July 7, 2023, in Tokyo, Japan, and was welcomed by the Ministers of Justice/Attorney General of the ASEAN-G7 countries. The organization of the NLF aims to implement the outcomes of the aforementioned ASEAN-G7 Ministers of Justice meeting.
Similar to the first NLF, the second NLF was organized to provide an opportunity for young officials and civil servants from the Ministries of Justice/Authorities General's Offices of ASEAN and G7 countries to engage in dialogue, exchange experiences, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and contribute to building long-term partnerships between ASEAN and G7 countries in the field of law and justice; thereby contributing to promoting the rule of law among ASEAN and G7 countries through dialogue and discussion, and further implementing the ASEAN Vision on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Proposals and recommendations made during the Forum's discussions will be shared with delegates and considered for inclusion in reports to be presented at the ASLOM-Japan Consultative Session and future ASEAN-G7 Sessions.

The second NLF was attended by numerous delegates from the Ministries of Justice/Ministries of Law/Offices of the Attorney General/Offices of the Prime Minister of the 10 ASEAN member countries, Timor-Leste, the G7 countries ^[1](excluding the United States), and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat. In addition, one representative from the European Commission (EU) also attended the Forum. Furthermore, Mr. Junichi Kanda, Vice Minister of Justice of Japan, and Mr. Nararya S. Soeprapto, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, delivered welcoming remarks at the Forum's opening ceremony.

The forum, taking place from September 26th to October 1st, 2025, features rich, substantive, and in-depth content, combining group discussions, presentations, field trips, and presentations by numerous reputable speakers in fields related to the forum's content and themes.

Broadcast Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Forum, Mr. Junichi Kanda, Vice Minister of Justice of Japan, emphasized that the goal of the NLF is to enhance mutual understanding between ASEAN and G7 countries, build a foundation for sustainable cooperative relationships, promote the rule of law, respect human rights, and improve the quality of legal human resources. According to Mr. Junichi Kanda, the discussions at the Forum are an opportunity for delegates to identify common challenges in the operation of law and judicial agencies in their respective countries, thereby strengthening trust, enhancing dialogue, and identifying potential areas of future cooperation. Against the backdrop of emerging regional and global challenges, particularly the need to reconcile respect for human rights with policy implementation, the Deputy Minister expressed his hope that delegates would actively exchange and discuss in depth three areas where international norms and standards have yet to be established (artificial intelligence – AI application, emergency response to natural disasters, and handling fake content using AI technology), thereby contributing to shaping a new cooperation framework between ASEAN and G7 countries in the future.
Speaking at the Forum, Mr. Nararya S. Soeprapto, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, affirmed that the NLF is an opportunity and platform to connect ASEAN and G7 countries to strengthen cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, contributing to building sustainable relationships, creating a basis for jointly responding to common challenges, and aiming to maintain peace, strengthen the rule of law, and ensure regional security. He highly appreciated the effective implementation of the Cooperation Plan in the field of law and justice between ASEAN and Japan, with many practical activities already organized and soon to be organized, such as the ASEAN Law Forum held in Malaysia in August 2025, the ASEAN-Japan Criminal Justice Conference in Tokyo in October, and especially the first meeting between ASEAN and Japanese Justice Ministers, expected to be held on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Justice Ministers' Meeting (ALAWMM) in November 2025. Regarding the forum's discussion topics, he emphasized the importance of exchanging views on AI – a field posing many new legal challenges – as well as the issue of responding to natural disasters, which are increasing in frequency and severity. The Deputy Secretary-General welcomed the contributions of the delegates, hoping that the exchanges at the forum would contribute to shaping effective cooperation directions and common solutions in the future.

With many years of experience working in international organizations, including the ASEAN Secretariat, Mr. Nararya S. Soeprapto shared many practical experiences and useful advice for young officials from ASEAN and G7 countries on working methods, skills in cooperating with foreign partners, and how to adapt to a multicultural work environment. He emphasized the importance of recognizing and respecting differences in work culture between regions, including the issue of work-life balance: while in G7 countries the boundaries between work and personal life are clearly defined, in many ASEAN countries, this remains a challenge.
He shared that ASEAN is a region diverse in culture, language, and ethnicity; therefore, adaptation and effective coordination among member states require time, patience, and a high spirit of cooperation. Despite many differences, ASEAN has achieved many important accomplishments, notably: (i) maintaining stability and strengthening regional cooperation, and (ii) ensuring the rapid and dynamic development of the regional economy.
According to Mr. Nararya, ASEAN and G7 countries are currently facing emerging challenges such as climate change, AI, and digital transformation. Therefore, those working in law and policymaking need to adapt flexibly to the new context. He emphasized the importance of each individual clearly defining their role within the changing landscape and adjusting their working methods for greater efficiency. Furthermore, young officials need to continuously improve their knowledge and professional skills, especially digital capabilities, to meet the demands of the new era.

Ms. SASAKI Shoko is an experienced female leader with extensive knowledge in the field of immigration management, supporting foreigners living and working in Japan. In her presentation at the Forum, she provided an overview of the organizational structure and functions of the Japanese Immigration Management System, and shared some measures to address unforeseen issues. The Japanese Immigration Management Agency has four main functions: immigration control, residence management, forced deportation, and refugee status recognition, governed by the Immigration Management and Refugee Status Recognition Act. This act aims to ensure fair and transparent management of immigration and residence procedures for foreigners, while also standardizing the refugee status recognition process. Besides its management functions, the Immigration Management Agency also plays a role in supporting the integration and improving the quality of life for foreigners, with the goal of building a multicultural society in Japan. The agency places special emphasis on vocational training programs, counseling, and job placement assistance for foreigners who wish to work long-term in Japan.
Regarding the second point, Ms. SASAKI shared how Japan responds flexibly to unexpected immigration situations through the "Designated Activities" mechanism. This mechanism allows the Minister of Justice to quickly approve specific or newly arising activities related to immigration, such as receiving evacuees from Ukraine or laborers for construction projects for the Olympic Games. In addition, the Minister of Justice also has special authority to refuse entry or deport individuals who pose a risk to public security and order, as exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic or the 2002 World Cup, when Japan implemented strict control measures to prevent disruptive behavior. Furthermore, Japan has proactively revised and improved its immigration laws, notably by enacting regulations on the "skilled worker" residency status in 2019, while also flexibly managing specific groups such as nursing candidates under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), agricultural workers, and domestic helpers in special areas.

Representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice actively participated in discussions, sharing and exchanging experiences with international colleagues regarding the Ministry's work practices and solutions to overcome difficulties and challenges. In the context of the country entering a new era of development and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the need for innovation in lawmaking and enforcement poses many challenges for the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice. Implementing the major orientations of the Party and State, especially Resolution No. 66-NQ/TW of the Politburo on reforming lawmaking and enforcement, requires breakthroughs in lawmaking and enforcement organization, improving the quality of human resources, promoting digital transformation, and applying artificial intelligence in lawmaking, management, and monitoring. The process of restructuring the administrative apparatus, streamlining organizations, and reforming administrative boundaries also creates significant pressure on the progress and quality of drafting legal documents. To meet these requirements, the Ministry of Justice is implementing a series of comprehensive solutions such as strengthening digitalization, developing a modern legal data platform, and building the "Vietnam Law Digital Platform" project to improve management efficiency, transparency, and information connectivity. In addition, Vietnam is actively developing and finalizing new draft laws in the fields of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, while promoting international cooperation and sharing experiences in responding to global legal challenges. Alongside institutional reform, the Ministry of Justice focuses on attracting high-quality human resources through incentive policies, encouraging creativity, and applying innovative thinking in work management. Training and professional development for officials are also being strengthened, especially in foreign languages, negotiation skills, policy analysis, and international integration, aiming to build a team of legal officials with competence, integrity, and a global mindset to meet the country's rapid and sustainable development needs.
Delegates from ASEAN and G7 countries They also share similar difficulties and challenges in the process of perfecting institutions and improving the effectiveness of the judicial system. One of the prominent issues is the difficulty in maintaining and attracting high-quality human resources in the public sector, leading to personnel shortages, knowledge loss, and disruptions to continuity within the system. In addition, many countries also face high recidivism rates due to a lack of mechanisms to support reintegration into the community, overcrowding in detention facilities, and limitations in financial resources, housing, welfare, and social infrastructure. The application of new technologies, especially artificial intelligence, both opens up opportunities for innovation and necessitates the improvement of a suitable legal framework to ensure safety, security, and effective management. At the same time, threats in the new situation such as transnational organized crime, non-traditional security threats, and global instability continue to put pressure on the legal system. Other challenges include disparities in access to justice between regions, lengthy litigation procedures, difficulties in recognizing international arbitration awards, as well as issues of confidentiality and limited access to legal information for citizens.
Faced with these challenges, countries have proposed various solutions such as building Knowledge Management Systems to preserve and share knowledge, standardizing and automating business processes, applying technology and artificial intelligence to lawmaking processes, modern work management systems, innovating working methods based on design thinking and a human-centered approach, investing in human resource development through specialized training, competitive compensation mechanisms and clear career development opportunities, and strengthening international cooperation, exchanging expertise and learning from global experiences to enhance institutional capacity and the ability to effectively respond to legal challenges in the new era.

(i) Artificial intelligence – AI applications
During this discussion, ASEAN and G7 countries agreed that the rapid development of AI offers many opportunities for innovation but also poses a range of ethical, legal, and social challenges. Issues of concern include data security and privacy in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity and combating cybercrime, intellectual property rights for AI-generated products, and the legal liability of AI developers and users in cases where the system causes damage or produces inaccurate results. Countries also expressed concerns about the spread of misinformation, bias, and discrimination in algorithms, as well as the risk of AI being exploited for criminal purposes such as cyberattacks, fraud, or money laundering.
The Vietnamese representative shared concerns about the application of AI in the development, implementation, and improvement of laws, legal research, review and systematization of legal documents, as well as in handling administrative violations and judicial assistance. Vietnam also highlighted challenges such as determining legal liability when AI causes damage or violates the law (e.g., self-driving cars, AI-powered medical systems making incorrect diagnoses), ensuring intellectual property rights for AI-created products, and the obligation to maintain information confidentiality during application. Furthermore, Vietnam hopes to learn from international experience in improving civil law in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, especially vulnerable groups.
Faced with these challenges, many ASEAN and G7 countries are building comprehensive legal frameworks to regulate the safe and responsible development and use of AI. The European Union has enacted the EU AI Act (2024) with regulations on risk classification, developer responsibility, algorithm transparency, etc.; Germany has established a Ministry of Digital Transformation and deployed AI tools for translation; Thailand has signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Justice and technology companies to ensure that AI applications are closely monitored; and the UK is researching the use of AI in facial recognition, court record-keeping, and translation. All countries agree that balancing innovation with the protection of fundamental human rights, strengthening international cooperation, ensuring algorithm transparency, and enhancing citizens' digital capabilities are necessary approaches to effectively address the risks posed by AI.
(ii) Responding to emergencies caused by natural disasters
ASEAN and G7 countries share common concerns about the increasingly severe impacts of natural disasters such as storms, floods, droughts, landslides, saltwater intrusion, sea level rise, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and extreme heatwaves. The countries agree that legislation plays a crucial role in mitigating disaster risks through rational land-use planning, improving the legal framework for environmental protection, conducting environmental impact assessments, and enacting and institutionalizing national policies aimed at sustainable development, harmonizing economic growth and environmental protection.
The Vietnamese representative shared information about the legal framework aimed at ensuring human rights and providing humanitarian assistance during natural disasters, such as the Law on Disaster Prevention and Control, Decree 66/2021/ND-CP detailing the implementation of some articles of the Law on Disaster Prevention and Control, and the Law amending and supplementing some articles of the Law on Disaster Prevention and Control and the Law on Dikes. These regulations not only clearly define responsibilities between agencies but also aim to minimize damage to people and property, while ensuring that relief activities always comply with legal principles and regulations. Vietnam also focuses on ensuring equitable access to relief, especially in remote areas; and establishing transparent and open channels for mobilizing and receiving aid. In addition, Vietnam actively cooperates within the framework of the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP) and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre) to enhance response capacity, share data, and standardize information management on natural disasters domestically and regionally.
Many other countries also shared their legal systems for disaster management, for example, Japan with its Basic Law on Disaster Management and Relief, Laos with its Law on Environmental Management and Protection, and the Philippines with RA 12287 on declaring an imminent disaster. Regarding solutions, these countries emphasized the importance of international cooperation, information sharing, and technical assistance from international organizations such as the United Nations or the AHA Centre. The application of technology, especially AI, was encouraged for forecasting, early warning, and disaster response support. Countries also agreed on the need to build a comprehensive legal framework governing disaster preparedness, control, and recovery; ensuring transparent and equitable access to information, relief, and legal assistance for the public; and promoting community education, strengthening emergency response capacity, and sustainable post-disaster recovery.
(iii) Dealing with fake content using AI technology (deepfakes)^[2]
ASEAN and G7 nations have expressed deep concern about the rise of AI-generated fake content (deepfakes), particularly when this technology is exploited to spread misinformation, hate speech, or violate privacy and personal honor. Several countries have taken concrete steps: France has criminalized the use of deepfakes for malicious purposes and established a national commission to address the issue; Germany has incorporated transparency provisions into the EU's AI Act and is considering expanding it to national criminal law; meanwhile, ASEAN countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia are in the process of developing legal frameworks to address misinformation, pornography, and online fraud. The countries agree that a balance must be struck between protecting human rights, especially freedom of expression, and ensuring social security and order.
The solutions discussed revolved around three main directions. First, leveraging, strengthening, expanding the scope of application, and adjusting existing legal regulations (such as criminal law, civil law, intellectual property law, and cybersecurity law) to address violations occurring in the online environment or caused by AI technology, instead of enacting new regulations that could easily lead to overlaps. Second, establishing a civil compensation mechanism to protect victims from damages caused by deepfakes, ensuring that victims have the right to request the removal of false information, corrections, and compensation. Third, encouraging the standardization of technology and transparency of digital content, such as adding electronic watermarks, developing data traceability tools, enhancing the public's capacity to use AI, and promoting international cooperation in information sharing, investigation, and the development of a unified definition of "digital harms."

Also within the framework of the Forum, ASEAN and G7 delegates made field trips to three exemplary facilities in Japan. First, the Chiba-ken Kiseikai Community Reintegration Center , which provides temporary housing, counseling, and orientation for former offenders or those at risk of failing to reintegrate into society, helping them stabilize their lives and become useful citizens. Second, Chiba Prison , a long-standing detention facility dating back to 1876. Chiba Prison is a prime example of Japan's humane approach to rehabilitation – emphasizing discipline, ethics, and self-reflection to facilitate reintegration into the community. Third, the Foreigners Support Center in Japan (FRESC) , an agency established by the Japanese government to provide information, counseling, legal assistance, employment, and living support to foreigners. The center works closely with agencies, businesses, and local authorities to create a friendly, safe, and inclusive living environment.
The tours provided ASEAN and G7 delegates with vivid experiences, helping them better understand Japan's judicial system and its humanistic values, discipline in social management, and education, as well as the country's efforts in building a multicultural community and facilitating the lives and work of foreigners in Japan. This offered valuable lessons for Vietnam and other countries in the region.
III.       RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROPOSALS
To build upon the achievements of the Second ASEAN-G7 Future Leaders Forum, the Working Group proposes the following:

 
 

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