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Proposing robust policies based on deep consideration

On February 1, 2011 the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA) was officially accredited by the Japanese government as a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation. NIRA was in the vanguard of research institutes to receive this status, which is provided to a limited number of distinguished institutions on the basis of new legislation formulated as part of government reforms. I am delighted that the benefit to the public of the survey research NIRA has conducted and the policy proposals it has made since its privatization in November 2007 has been recognized in this way. Against a background of intense change in the economy and the political scene and an unclear outlook for the future, the role of think tanks which are able to discuss issues from a specialized but neutral perspective is today becoming increasingly important. Unfortunately, the think tank community is not as active in Japan as it is in many other countries. The existence of an organization of NIRA’s type is important for precisely this reason, and I believe that NIRA’s activities can energize policy analysis and the proposal of policies in Japan.

In the period of almost three and a half years since its privatization, NIRA has generated a variety of research outcomes with the aid of external specialists. It is, in my opinion, important for think tanks to accurately grasp the essence of a problem, and to communicate that essence in as plain a manner as possible. Happily, I can be proud that NIRA’s results have contributed in a variety of ways to provoking public discussion. I have been offered valuable opinions and encouraging words concerning NIRA’s activities by many people. My desire is for NIRA to invigorate policy analysis and policy proposal in Japan by continuing in its activities.

Despite having become a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, NIRA’s activities will not change significantly. We will analyze policy issues when it is most timely to do so, and provide information concerning them in the clearest manner possible. In addition, we will enhance our ties to the policy analysis community, and, to the greatest extent possible, give young researchers engaged in policy research and policy analysis the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. Another important role played by NIRA is to expand networks by establishing connections with a wide range of individuals – researchers from universities and other research institutes, it goes without saying, but also government-affiliated researchers, representatives of the mass media, specialists in a wide variety of fields.

In its more than 30-year prior history as a semi-governmental research institute, NIRA also built up close relationships with overseas think tanks. Today, with the globalization of the Japanese economy and Japanese society, the importance of listening to voices from overseas and of communicating with the outside world is only increasing. NIRA has not let go of its legacy of contact with the international policy research community, and has continued to foster overseas connections in a variety of forms. As far as practicable, we have also published reports in English. I myself make an effort, every time I meet with government representatives or researchers overseas, to discuss NIRA’s activities at the same time as seeking to exchange opinions concerning policy problems in Japan and Asia more generally.

The political scene and the economy are changing at a dizzying pace day by day. It is important to keep up with these changes, but I believe that our more important task as a think tank is to give deep consideration to Japan’s medium- and long-term future, and to propose robust policies on that basis. For just this reason, I do not ask for NIRA to seek rapid outcomes, but rather to accumulate results steadily, step-by-step. It is my hope that everyone reading these words will continue to follow NIRA’s activities, and will go on offering the institute their intellectual support.

Motoshige Itoh
President
National Institute for Research Advancement

February 2011

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