MANILA, PHILIPPINES — February 10, 2025 — The ASEAN Youth Economic Forum 2026 offi cially started on February 10, 2026, at the Century Park Hotel in Manila, convening diverse young leaders, professionals, and key stakeholders from across the ASEAN region and Japan with the theme, “Building Resilient Futures: Youth-Driven Innovations for ASEAN-Japan SME Growth”.
The forum began with an opening remark from Mr. Naobumi Yokota, the Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, who underscored the importance of resilience in achieving prosperity and stability in both regions through the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Innovative ideas and bold actions are the way to achieve growth, and the youth are the driving force for this”, Mr. Yokota said, emphasizing the limitless potential of the young generation in shaping the social and economic development of ASEAN and Japan through building competitive and future-ready SMEs.
“Innovative ideas and bold actions are the way to achieve growth, and the youth are the driving force for this.”
Naobumi Yokota, Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines
Across ASEAN, SMEs constitute the majority of businesses and generate most of the employment, making it a vital part of the regional economy. Despite this importance, these enterprises still face persistent challenges, including structural constraints as they often lack the necessary policies and support that hinders their growth and competitiveness.
Following the opening remarks, Mr. Masayoshi Tamura, the Chief Representative of AEM-METI Economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee (AMEICC) Secretariat, highlighted that the fresh perspective and creative thinking of the next generation leaders are the essential ingredient to further solidify regional cooperation and address these SME challenges. He underscored the importance of including the youth in these kinds of dialogues to develop innovative, practical, and inclusive solutions.
Ms. Sarah Rauzana, the chairperson of the ASEAN Youth Organization, set the tone of the forum, calling for a systemic economic change that focuses on just transition and wellbeing, leaving no one behind — especially the youth. “We are not too young. We are not powerless. We are not waiting for permission,” she said, stressing that the youth should not be merely symbols of sustainability but be active leaders and decision makers in shaping policies and the developmental pathways.
This year’s AYEF places SMEs at the center of ASEAN-Japan economic development, emphasizing that the critical role of youth-driven innovations, entrepreneurship, and policy engagement can strengthen SME resilience and advance regional integration.
The ASEAN Youth Economic Forum 2026 is a three-day event in partnership with the AEM-METI Economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee (AMEICC), the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
