The Role of ASJI in Soft Diplomacy between Indonesia and Japan

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the contribution of the Indonesian Association for Japanese Studies (ASJI) as a Non-Government Organization (NGO) in academic diplomacy between Indonesia and Japan, as well as to examine its role within the framework of soft diplomacy through educational channels. A descriptive qualitative approach with a case study method is employed, utilizing secondary data in the form of activity documentation, publications, and official ASJI sources from the 2020 - 2025 period. The data are analyzed using qualitative content analysis based on the frameworks of academic diplomacy, soft power, and soft diplomacy. The findings illustrate how ASJI’s programs function as practices of knowledge-based diplomacy through the establishment of academic forums, research exchanges, and the strengthening of transnational academic networks. These processes demonstrate how scholarly associations operate beyond formal state diplomacy by building an ecosystem of intellectual relations that supports the sustainability of bilateral relations.