I flew to Jakarta in the morning of May 7th to participate “The Government Leaders Forum ?Asia” organized by Microsoft, and delivered Keynote speech in the panel ‘IT and Healthcare.’ Perhaps there are some 20 Japanese participants who included Vice President of Keio University, one of IT-gurus of Japan, Prof. Jun Murai, and Mayor of Hiroshima City, Mr. Akiba.
This series of Conference began in USA, in Europe, and now the forth year in Asia. Plenary speakers were included Indonesian Minister, Dr. Surin (we met three times in the last 2 months), Director General of ASEAN and two senior executives of Microsoft. Then followed by three panels in Day 1. In Day 2, speeches of President of Indonesia and Mr. Bill Gates will be delivered, but I had to leave Jakarta in the evening of Day 1, so that I will miss the program of Day 2. Thus, I was out of Japan for only 44 hours.
After my panel session, I had a private meeting with Mr. Gates for about 30 minutes discussing several issues of our common interest that included Global Health Summit we hosted this February, G8 Summits and other global issues and IT in education and healthcare (photo: his staff and assistants were understandably very nervous). He is very smart and sharp and quietly looking into documents I handed out to him. Mr. Oigawa, senior executive of Microsoft Japan told me that he has not seen Mr. Gates so relaxed and pleased in a meeting.