Active international research and discussions on global value chains (GVCs) have been triggered by the recent development of value-added analyses which clarify the interdependence of economies, as well as the stalemate of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Doha Round, the emergence of...

As the role of local governments in developing regional economies is very important, the effectiveness of public works as a fiscal economic stimulus conducted by local governments such as cities and villages, coupled with their recent fiscal difficulties, is being put under more careful...

In recent years, global economic crises and natural disasters have revealed systemic risks and the vulnerability of socio-economic structures around the world. Under these circumstances, policymakers seek solutions to strengthen their society against external shocks and have become more aware of...

We investigate workers' responses to and evaluation of the change in the Labor Contract Act in 2013 through the result of a web survey conducted by the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). The revised Labor Contract Act (i) stipulates that temporary workers, after five...

The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011 had a serious negative impact on the Japanese economy. The earthquake reduced production substantially not only in the regions that were directly affected but also throughout Japan via the disruption of supply chains. The meltdowns at the...

Technological progress, especially product innovation, plays an important role in generating economic growth under the conditions of low fertility and an aging population. Technological progress is typically measured by total factor productivity (TFP) and much research is done internationally....

Given the expected fundamental reform of Article 35 of the Japanese patent law, which has been governing the transfer of ownership of employee inventions to firms, the freedom of designing the incentive system for inventors would increase significantly. In order to provide basic guiding...

Thus far, globalization has caused a cross-border diffusion of cultures, which could result in a homogeneous "global culture" (i.e., Americanization of culture). As a result, concern about the loss of diversity has become increasingly strong. In the face of such sense of crisis, the United...

When one state considers an act of another state as a violation of obligations toward it, it might resort to some measures that are also illegal per se. As long as they are subject to some conditions imposed by international law, those measures are admissible as lawful countermeasures, and the...

This paper surveys theoretical and empirical research on the effects of minimum wages in Japan and overseas and provides some implication for Japan's minimum wage policy.The debate over the minimum wage policy is often judged by its disemployment effect. In Japan, literature employing large...