JAPANESE POLITICAL ECONOMY

This lecture course provides an opportunity to receive an overall picture about changes and challenges in Japan’s economy, corporate governance, corporate management and corporate culture. It demonstrates how theoretical basics in economics and management (macro & micro) can be applied to the analysis of Japan-related issues. It also deals with the question of what other economies and economic as well as business theory may be able to learn from the case of Japan.

Knowledge and comprehension skills: Students will understand and be able to reproduce basic features of the economic and business development of modern as well as contemporary Japan. They will understand how these are related to basic concepts in economics and management.
Applied knowledge and comprehension skills: Students will be enabled to use a number of tools to evaluate economic and business performance in Japan (and elsewhere), including short-term economic forecasts and the performance of company stocks.
Use of independent judgment: Students will be able to critically evaluate the stereotyped and generalized views of Japan´s economy, based on an improved understanding of theoretical, historical and cultural issues.

Students are expected (a) to have a sufficient command of English, (b) to read and understand the recommended reading materials in English and in Japanese, (c) to contribute to lessons by expressing their views and asking questions, and (d) to research some material in English and Japanese during some parts of the lecture course and present their findings in English. To profit from the lecture series to the fullest, students will benefit from a reasonable background in macro- and micro-economics as well as business.

1. Economic Development of Japan I/Introducing the Nikkei stock market game
2. Economic Development of Japan II
3. Economic Structure of Japan and Well-Being
4. Forecasts of economic development: Japan´s case
5. Labour, Population and Immigration
6. Finance
7. Enterprise Sector
8. Entrepreneurship
9. Innovation, including Digitalization
10. Industrial Policy
11. Economic Policy Issues: Japan as Galapagos?
12. International Economic Relations Strategy and Regionalism
13. How important is Japan´s economy for the EU and Italy? And what about China?
14. Economic Culture of Japan
15. Synthesis and Outlook

Focus on the inputs, given in the lecture modules. A digital version of the lecture materials will be uploaded to Moodle.

Basic book reading: Hiroaki Richard Watanabe: The Japanese Economy, Agenda: Newcastle 2020

Other required and recommended readings will be announced later through Moodle.

The final examination will cover the content of the lecture inputs.

The final exam will account for 80% of the grade. The other 20% is based on reliable participation in the Nikkei stock market game and on some small research and presentation in class on a – later to be determined - topic during the lecture course, for instance presenting an entrepreneurial case study based on a chapter of the book by Takeo Kikkawa: History of Innovative Entrepreneurs in Japan, Springer: Singapore 2023.

The course is organized in lectures that include classroom exercises, with active learning parts guided by the teacher (student presentations on selected topics, Nikkei stock market game) and individual study.
Students are encouraged to attend classes in an active way, reading the suggested materials before coming to class.

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