On April 23, 2026, the A-PAD board convened in Tokyo and the members and advisors visited JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) and met with Senior Vice President Yuho Hayakawa and Vice President Teruyuki Ito.

A-PAD has been promoting a cross-border support system across the Asia-Pacific region.  A-PAD’s framework not only leverages public resources but also brings in private sector partnerships.

A-PAD’s delegation shared its activities and its important role as a bridge connecting government entities and the private sector. A-PAD also plays a key role in complementing the other organizations while advancing locally rooted initiatives and unique innovations within each national platform.

JICA recognized A-PAD as an important stakeholder and stated its intention to consider possibilities for future collaboration. It was also noted that as the need to strengthen engagement with the private sector continues to grow, A-PAD is expected to play a role in filling such gaps.

This meeting served as a meaningful opportunity toward future collaboration between A-PAD and JICA. A-PAD expressed its intention to leverage community-level networks in each country to advance cooperation with JICA.