The German-Japanese Young Leaders Forum (YLF), organized by the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB), brings together outstanding young professionals from diverse fields such as business, politics, administration, media, and academia. The ten-day program provides a platform for participants from Germany and Japan to engage with pressing political and societal issues, deepen mutual understanding through collaboration, and build lasting professional networks and partnerships. Ms. Alicia Wilhelm, a Policy Officer at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and a participant of the YLF held in Tokyo in spring 2025, offers a personal reflection on her experiences and key takeaways from the program.

"The German-Japanese Young Leaders Forum" (YLF), organized by the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB), invites promising young professionals from fields such as business, politics, administration, media, and science and provides German and Japanese participants with the opportunity to deepen mutual understanding and to build networks through discussions and working together on various topics. Ms.Saki Sakuma (staff member of the Japan Business Federation, Keidanren), who participated in the YLF in Berlin in autumn 2023, shares her unforgettable and inspiring experience of the ten days.

Lisa ROSENBERGER, a former participant in the JDZB exchange program for young volunteers, was asked by the Office of the Federal President to accompany Frank-Walter STEINMEIER and his wife, Elke BÜDENBENDER, as a representative for German volunteerism on their state visit to Japan and South Korea. In the blog article she writes about this adventure.

In the "Sustainablility Talks", our YLF-alumni now meet regularly to shed light on sustainability from the perspective of Japan and Germany. The topic of the first meeting was "Sustainable Mobility".

There are more than 8,000 kilometers between Tōkyō and Berlin – yet there are many similarities between Japan and Germany. On the occasion of the anniversary, the State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office Miguel Berger, who is also a member of the JDZB's Board of Executives, reflects on the relations between the two countries.

The Japanese-German youth exchange is close to the heart of JDZB Secretary General Julia MUENCH. In this article, which also appeared in the current edition of our quartely publication echo, she appeals to join all available forces in order to create even more attention for existing exchange programs.

Sven TRASCHEWSKI, our colleague from the Project Management team, had the honor of representing Germany at the Japan Alumni Conference (JAC) on March 24. In the virtual room, he also met a completely unexpected surprise guest.