TOKYO, JAPAN�-�Media OutReach�- 20 January 2021 -�The Tokyo-based Asian Productivity
Organization (APO) commences its Diamond Jubilee through a virtual launch on 21 January 2021, 14:00 Japan Time.

(Click here for the
ceremony.)

�

The launch marks the beginning of a year-long tribute to the 60-year
productivity journey in Asia, showcasing productivity as a key enabler for the Asia-Pacific
region, past, present, and future.

�

Ministers/senior officials from Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Cambodia, and Pakistan are to convey congratulatory messages during the ceremony.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le
Xuan Dinh, Vietnam, and Chair of the APO, will salute the organization while emphasizing
the power of
digital technology and digital learning.

�

Remarks by Assistant Minister Atsushi Ueno, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Japan, the host country of the APO Secretariat, will acknowledge the APO as
one of the strongest bonds between Japan and the Asia-Pacific region,
describing that network among members as a "precious asset" for Japan.

�

The launch will also
feature insights and reminiscences from seasoned productivity champions. Fiji's
Minister for Infrastructure and
Meteorological Services and Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Jone Usamate, who served for more than 10
years as the country's leading productivity authority, will describe the
tremendous impact of the APO, especially the concept of Green Productivity combining
productivity enhancement with sustainability and resilience.

�

The launch will formally activate the APO Vision 2025, the aspirational
strategic directions to achieve inclusive, innovation-led productivity growth over
the next five years.

�

Reflecting on the occasion, APO Secretary-General AKP Mochtan conveys
that longevity is a blessing, but the relevance and achievements so far are not
to be taken for granted. He is confident that the long history accords the APO
the wisdom and foresights to forge ahead to a more productive future.� �

About The APO

The APO is an
intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in Asia and
the Pacific. Established in 1961, the APO contributes to the sustainable
socioeconomic development of the region through policy advisory services,
institutional capacity-building efforts, sharing of productivity best
practices, and dissemination of productivity data and analyses.