ISAS Insights

Japan has become the Chair of the G20 for 2019. The G20 has no permanent secretariat and has no specific mandate beyond discussing the most critical issues facing the global economy. As such, it has now become standard practice for the chair country to set the agenda for the year of its chairmanship. Japan has set an ambitious agenda, including free trade, infrastructure for development, climate change and the impact of ageing populations. The headway that Japan makes in securing global cooperation in addressing these compelling challenges will have profound implications for South Asia.