EQ Hotel, Kuala Lumpur \ Tuesday 1 September 2026
UTMy Dean Moderates Plenary Session at the 43rd MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference

 

On 1 September 2026, the 43rd MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference was held at EQ Hotel Kuala Lumpur under the theme“Malaysia-Japan Strategic Economic Partnership: Advancing Transformation, Deepening Partnerships, and Strengthening Resilience.”
Prof. Dr. Maki Tsujimura, Dean of the School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design, University of Tsukuba, Malaysia (UTMy), served as the moderator for Plenary Session 3, titled“Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience.

The session brought together prominent industry leaders from Malaysia and Japan representing diverse sectors, including natural resources, manufacturing, and biotechnology. Guided by Prof. Tsujimura, the discussion explored how resilient and sustainable supply chains can be developed in an increasingly complex global environment. Drawing on his keynote framework, Prof. Tsujimura emphasized that supply chain resilience should be viewed not merely as a matter of securing materials, but as the sustainability of the broader resource base that supports economic activities, including energy, water, land, ecosystems, technology, infrastructure, knowledge, and human capital. 

During the panel discussion, representative from Malaysian company highlighted the strong business relationship that Malaysia and Japan have built over more than three decades, describing Japan as a trusted and dependable partner. The speaker also emphasized the importance of leveraging the complementary strengths of both countries. Malaysia's rich natural resources, manufacturing capabilities, and diverse talent base, together with Japan's advanced technologies, research capacity, and industrial expertise, were identified as key assets for building more resilient and sustainable supply chains. 

In his concluding remarks, Prof. Tsujimura noted that four elements emerged as recurring themes throughout the discussion: diversification, innovation, partnership, and human resources. He stressed that resilient supply chains cannot be achieved by individual companies or countries acting alone, but require trusted partnerships and continuous investment in people, knowledge, and innovation. He further highlighted the significant potential for Malaysia and Japan to create new value together, achieving outcomes that neither country could accomplish independently. 

The session provided a valuable platform for industry and academia to exchange perspectives on strengthening supply chain resilience and advancing Malaysia-Japan economic cooperation. It also highlighted the crucial role that higher education institutions such as UTMy play in fostering the interdisciplinary knowledge and human capital needed to address future global challenges. Furthermore, the session reaffirmed UTMy’s commitment to contributing even more actively to the cultivation of interdisciplinary knowledge and the development of future leaders through education and research, thereby helping to address the increasingly complex challenges facing the global community.