[ Completed Research Projects ]
- Research Institute: NIRA
This research project regarded international organizations, usually discussed in terms of diplomacy and guiding concepts, as project implementers, and attempted to analyze and evaluate their operational status on this basis. The project selected ten organizations operating in the security, development, human rights and humanitarian, and other more specialized fields, including the United Nations, the World Bank, UNICEF, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and examined the following points from the perspectives of international public benefit and national interest: the type of goals international organizations adopt; the amount of (human and financial) resources they invest; the type of activities they conduct; and the results they achieve.
Research demonstrated that while the roles to be played by international organizations, including the solution of "global problems" and the formulation of new treaties, are increasing, it has become difficult for these organizations to guarantee sufficient funds, due in part to worsening national financial situation. International organizations are therefore instituting reforms, including the introduction of a result-oriented budget system, which involves self-evaluation of their activities to enable determination of where to best invest their limited resources. Even at the national level, strategies are beginning to be formulated to allow international organizations to effectively allocate their resources.
Against this background, it is also necessary for Japan to reconsider its expectations of international organizations from the twin perspectives of international public benefit and national interests. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a "white paper on international organizations," which clearly explains the status of international organizations to tax payers. Given that an excessive orientation towards evaluation tends to cause problems to arise, however, further study of evaluation methods is desirable.
"An Analysis of Emerging Systemic Risks in the 21st Century"
- Research Institute: Advisory Unit to the Secretary-General, OECD
Systemic risk is a concept that first received widespread attention when the 1997 financial crisis in Thailand spilled over into countries in Southeast Asia and South Korea, and its impact subsequently spread to the rest of the world. This project considered policy-level responses to numerous systemic risks with the potential for global impact.
The project adopted infectious diseases, terrorism, and food safety as case studies, among others. A comprehensive perspective was taken in analyzing and evaluating problems at the stages of risk evaluation, risk prevention, emergency response, damage control, and the recovery process, and effective responses.
In risk evaluation, the project took scientific approach and focused on impacts on societies. Risk prevention was examined with a focus on educational efforts to improve risk awareness among the public. At the emergency response phase, the data collection demands cooperation with the media and private citizens. In designing consequence management, the project examined the importance of the recovery and the continuity of economic activities to minimize impacts of risks.
On the basis of this research, the project made thirteen proposals with the following points as guidelines: (1) the adoption of new policy approaches to risk management, (2) the establishment of cooperative relationships between the public and private sectors, (3) the provision of information to relevant parties and citizens, (4) international cooperation in risk management, and (5) seeking and utilizing technological solutions. Proposals included the adoption of comprehensive perspectives towards risks in which various factors are intertwined with each other and the assurance of consistency of policy in risk-related fields. We are now required to prepare more systematically for the frequent occurrence of possible large-scale disasters and risks.
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