News April 2002

[ New Research Project ]

The Prospect of the East Asian Economy in the Process of Economic Integration

Last December, Mainland China and Taiwan joined the World Trade Organizations (WTO), and a huge market appeared in the world economy. This will have a strong impact on private companies' activities and people's consumption trends. East Asia's economic situation and industrial structures will change. In January, Japan and Singapore concluded a free trade agreement (FTA). In his policy address, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi proposed a "Japan-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Plan" as one of Japan's new diplomatic plans. Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Ronji made a proposal on establishing a China-ASEAN free trade zone, and has obtained a wide range of approval from ASEAN countries.

As mentioned above, East Asian countries and regions are aiming at further development, not only through economic exchanges that have truly progressed thus far, but also in a framework of interdependence.

This research project examines concrete effects and problems brought about by China's dual coast entry into the WTO, the economic situation in East Asian countries and regions, and the progress of structural reforms. Based on these examinations, this research considers how the East Asian Economy should develop in the future by holding international conferences with the participation of researchers and experts from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, etc.

[ Completed Research Project ]

Research and Development of Visual Learning Aids for Japanese Language Lessons in order to Deepen Cultural Exchange between Japan and Korea

Towards the "research and development of visual learning aids for Japanese language lessons," this research project made proposals on desirable learning aids for broadcast Japanese language lessons, as a part of cultural exchanges between Japan and Korea. This proposal is based on the analysis of a survey of Korean high school and university students.

The number of Korean people who learn the Japanese language is nearly half of all those who learn Japanese in the world, and about 80% of Korean learners are high school students. Therefore, it has been of great importance to improve the educational environment, specifically teachers, teaching materials, and facilities. When teaching foreign languages to young generations, including high school students, the goal is to foster cultural understanding and communication skills. Through this survey, it became clear that in the awareness of young Korean people, traditional and new ideas are mixed up due to changes in social information within and outside Korea from an influx of international information. This project attempted to analyze this phenomenon using a keyword "han-nichi" (coinage) whose meaning is to recognize Japan as a partner.

However, the image of Japan held by young Korean people progresses without truly understanding Japanese culture and society, while they are cautious about Japan as their competitor. Based on the viewpoint that to deepen cultural exchange between Japan and Korea is to mutually understand the heterogeneity between the two countries, this project re-realized the necessity to create teaching materials that invite Korean people's correct understanding of Japan. Then this project suggested examples of teaching materials so that young Korean people who have a new image of Japan and are interested in Japanese popular culture would not lose their interest in Japan and motivation for learning the Japanese language.

[ Research Trend ]

Completed Research Projects
2001 Subsidized Research in Specified Fields (Category B)

Unified Research Theme
"Towards the Establishment of a Recycle-Oriented Society"

"NIRA's Subsidized Research Project in Specified Fields (Category B) for 2001" was conducted under the unified theme "Towards the Establishment of a Recycle-Oriented Society" from April 2001 with the participation of 20 research institutes from 15 prefectures. In order to implement a recycle-oriented society in a local region, it is essential to establish an appropriate framework that suits the region's characteristic, the region's major industries and geographic conditions for example. Cooperative and comprehensive efforts among citizens, companies and government are vital to establishing this framework.

The research reports, drafted respectively by 20 research institutes, were focused on analyzing the current status of the regions. Additional attention was paid to presentation of specific proposals concerning future tasks to be implemented. The content of the reports will serve as valuable information in efforts to explore the optimal role of the recycling system and that of the respective regional players. The following is the list of the research projects that have been conducted by the respective regions.

[ Symposium/Lecture ]

Research Reporting Session by a Visiting Research Fellow

Research on the Comparison of Economic and Social Policies Amid the Current Economic Slump in Japan and South Korea

Mr. Kim Se Jong

Mr. Kim Se Jong, Former Visiting Research Fellow at NIRA

A research report by Mr. Kim Se Jong, former NIRA Visiting Research Fellow (March 2001 - March 2002), was held on February 21.

This research focused on economic and social changes both in Japan and South Korea since the 1990s, especially labor market changes. By considering the specific structural changes in the two countries' labor markets ally, since the 1990s, this research examined employment measures and safety net policies that were implemented by the governments of the two countries to overcome their economic slumps. Through comparative study, this research considered the differences in policies to solve the unemployment issue faced by the two nations and offered suggestions that can be seen from both countries' policies.

NIRA Policy Research 2002, Vol. 15, No.4
(scheduled to be published on April 25)

Trends in the South China Economic Zone and East Asia after Mainland China's and Taiwan's Entry into the WTO

NIRA held the Fifth Conference on the South China Economy in Sanya City, Hainan Province, Mainland China, during last December. Representatives from research institutes in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea participated.

Although Mainland China and Taiwan have various problems at the political level, researchers gathered at this conference from countries in the South China economic zone including Mainland China and Taiwan to discuss economic issues without reservation. This is was a noteworthy feature of this conference.

The conference was held in a period when the international economy reached a turning point because both Mainland China and Taiwan entered into the World Trade Organizations (WTO), allowing a huge market to appear in the world economy. Based in this, there were enthusiastic discussions concerning future prospects for East Asian's economy, centering on the South China economic zone. The impact of Mainland China's and Taiwan's entry into the WTO and a free trade zone towards economic cooperation in East Asia were considered.

In January, Prime Minister Koizumi announced a "Japan-ASEAN comprehensive economic cooperation plan" in Singapore. Thus far, cooperation among nations and among regions has been formed spontaneously through trade and investment. In the future, such cooperation will go further in a strategic manner. At a time when the international situation is changing drastically, it is useful for East Asian researchers be aware of these issues.

[ NIRA TOPICS ]

Information on the Newly Opened "The Dr. Atsushi Shimokobe Archive"

Dr. Atsushi Shimokobe (currently a research advisor to the Tokio Marine Research Institute) contributed to the development of NIRA for twelve years as its second President. Since his literary works and materials were donated to NIRA, NIRA has opened the "The Dr. Atsushi Shimokobe Archive" in the Saburo Okita Memorial Library.

NIRA Research Report, No.20010007
Building Partnerships for Health and Medical Care Among South East Asian Countries - Looking at Currency Crisis-Torn Indonesia for Suggestion

This publication is a summary of the results of a research group led by Professor Yasuhide Nakamura of Osaka University Graduate School. This research group was established to clarify the impacts of the economic crisis on the health and medical care field and the effects of measures taken, focusing on the case of Indonesia where serious health problems, including nutrition and medical care, were brought about by the Asian economic crisis.

Through two field investigations and a workshop among Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia, the research group suggests the ideal social safety net in the health and medical care field and the Japan's role. In making these suggestion, the group took into account the building of partnerships among Southeast Asian nations and focused on measures to deal with the socially vulnerable and health insurance systems.

NIRA Research Report, No.20010017
Feasibility of the Policy Market

Policy-making in Japan is undertaken mainly by administrative agencies and the ruling parties, and therefore there is an extremely low level of openness in the policy-making process. However, because Japan is currently facing change on many fronts, including the aging of its society, economic reform, globalization and technological innovation, traditional forms of policy-making can no longer generate policies which the nation's citizens find satisfactory. NIRA therefore introduced the hypothetical ideal of the "policy market," a forum in which policy debates are made open to the public and has explored the possibilities for realizing such a market.

This paper makes numerous proposals with the aim of implementing the policy market. Areas covered include the responsibilities to be borne by the actors taking part in the policy-making process, such as citizens, politicians, administrators and think tanks; the importance of coordinators who will oversee the management of the policy market and the necessity of fostering such personnel; and means to ensure the necessary funds for the management of the policy market.

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