Message from the President

Message from the President
president

I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been elected as President of the Asian Population Association (APA) for the term 2025–2027. I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to my fellow Council members on their election to serve the APA. This is a significant responsibility for all of us, and I look forward to working alongside our esteemed members to advance research, foster collaboration, and promote meaningful dialogue on the critical population issues facing Asia.

While the APA is a relatively young association with a history of less than 20 years, it has already made invaluable contributions. I must acknowledge the immense work done by previous Councils since the association’s founding in 2009–10. Their leadership has been instrumental not only in guiding the APA’s growth but also in advancing demographic research, teaching, and collaboration across Asia. Their scholarship and vision have significantly benefited the association and its members, encouraging a scientific approach to the important challenges we face in this region.

Undoubtedly, the APA has long served as a vital platform for addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by the diverse and dynamic population trends in Asia. As we move forward, we are committed to strengthening our collective efforts by uniting the diverse population associations, academic departments, and research centers across Asian countries, alongside the many population scientists under the APA umbrella. We must continue making deeper inroads into Asian countries that are not currently adequately represented in APA. Our resolve to advance knowledge in population research and teaching in Asia can only be achieved through meaningful collaborations with other associations both within and beyond our region.

Together, we will continue to champion the power of data, research, and collaboration in addressing pressing issues of our communities and nations. I encourage each of you to engage, share your expertise, and contribute to the success of our association’s mission.

Thank you for your trust and support. I look forward to working alongside all of you in the years to come.

K S James                                                                                                       
January 15, 2025
President, Asian Population Association (2025-27)

The Asian Population Association Council (2025-2027)

The Asian Population Association Council (2025-2027)

President

K S James, India

Reiko Hayashi

Immediate Past President

Reiko Hayashi, Japan

Aris Ananta

Vice President

Edith Gray, Australia

K S James

Secretary General

Oh Seok Kim, Republic of Korea

Samir KC

Treasurer

Manasigan Kanchanachitra, Thailand/USA

Manasigan Kanchanachitra

Council Members

(in alphabetical order)

Chi-Tsun Chiu, Taipei, Republic of China Fatemeh Torabi, Iran
Brenda S.A. Yeoh Edith Gray
Maria Midea Kabamalan, Philippines

Padma Prasad Khatiwada, Nepal

  Fatemeh Torabi Premchand Dommaraju

Sabu Padmadas, United Kingdom

 
Sureeporn Punpuing  

Executive Secretary

Chalermpol Chamchan, Thailand

Aree Jampaklay

The Asian Population Association Council (2022-2024)

The Asian Population Association Council (2022-2024)

President

Reiko HayashiJapan

Reiko Hayashi

Immediate Past President

Aris AnantaIndonesia

Aris Ananta

Vice President

K S JamesIndia

K S James

Secretary General

Samir KCNepal

Samir KC

Treasurer

Manasigan Kanchanachitra, Thailand/USA

Manasigan Kanchanachitra

Council Members

(in alphabetical order)

Brenda S.A. Yeoh, Singapore Edith Gray, Australia
Brenda S.A. Yeoh Edith Gray
Fatemeh Torabi, Iran

Premchand DommarajuSingapore

  Fatemeh Torabi Premchand Dommaraju

Sureeporn PunpuingThailand 

 
Sureeporn Punpuing  

Executive Secretary

Chalermpol Chamchan, Thailand

Aree Jampaklay

Message from the President

president apaDear APA members and possible future members

In October 2021, I received the news with great surprise that I was elected President of the Asian Population Association (APA). I feel honoured and tightened myself with the responsibility for the advancement of population studies in Asia.

Together with my fellow Council members, who are prominent and active population scholars from Indonesia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and Iran, we will serve the three years from 2022 to 2024.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting our activities. The Fifth Asian Population Conference was initially planned to be held face to face in Yogyakarta in November 2020, but the virus obliged us to postpone the Conference entirely online in August 2021. Our first Council Member meeting was held in January online, so we only saw the faces through the digitized images. However, we should be positive to take it as a chance. Online meetings have become our habit, and it will make our conversation easier, regardless of the place we stay. We will be able to make international meetings more often. That is how we plan to strengthen the network of members and the regional and national population associations and population research institutions in the region.

As of November 2021, there are 2,418 members of APA. As have been mentioned by the past Presidents, increasing the member is our aim, as well as improving the payment. We are facing barriers of international money transfer, the global problem identified and included in the SDGs indicator 10.7.2. We will solve the problems one by one, and also, we will improve the benefit of members so that each will feel worthwhile to become a member.

Since the inauguration of APA in 2007, five Asian Population Conferences have been held, and 10 Scientific Groups have worked or continue to work. Various seminars and webinars were conducted. These activities are a great asset of the APA. We will soon announce the call for proposals for the Sixth Asian Population Conference and the Scientific Group.

Asia is a vast region, holding 60% of the world population, with distinct cultures and histories. There are similarities and differences between our societies. Asian population studies aim to understand these differentiated contexts of populations and promote the well-being of each one in society. APA is open to all who are working on the Asian population. I hope your active participation so that we can deepen the understanding of the Asian population.

February 2022

Reiko Hayashi
President, Asian Population Association

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The Fourth APA Council Administrative Committee Meeting