The Policy Research Institute (PRI) held the Workshop on Innovations in the Digital Age (chaired by Professor YANAGAWA Noriyuki (Professor, Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo)) occasionally from December 2018 to April 2019, and recently compiled papers that cover discussions at the Workshop into a report.

The PRI has been holding workshops under the theme of innovations for the past two years and has conducted surveys concerning the current situation of the digitalization of the economy both in 2018 and in 2019. Japan has seen IT-related companies entering settlement and other financial services on the one hand, but at the same time, existing financial institutions undergoing alignments/business restructurings. In light of such an environment, the Workshop strived to grasp the situation/modality of ongoing digitalization in Japan and some other countries and arranged issues to be discussed and other factors.

Considering the latent growth potential of India, the PRI has been holding India Workshops by inviting external experts as lecturers, with a focus on deepening the awareness of the current situation and policies of the Indian economy in the Ministry of Finance.

At the 3rd India Workshop in FY2018, Mr. MIWA Hiroki (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Teikyo University) gave a lecture entitled “Results of India’s 17th Lower House Election and Future Outlook,” which was followed by a Q&A session on the subject and a free discussion.

【The workshop】

With a view to deepening the MOF’s knowledge on the current situation and policies of ASEAN countries, the PRI has been holding ASEAN Workshops by inviting external experts.

At the 2nd ASEAN Workshop in 2018, Mr. MIENO Fumiharu (Deputy Director & Professor, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University) gave a lecture entitled “Financial Systems of Follower ASEAN Countries and Challenging Issues in Assistance – Focusing on Cases in Laos,” which was followed by a Q&A session on the subject and a free discussion.

【The workshop】

The PRI has held the Trilateral Workshops in rotation with the Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS) and Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) every year since 2007, with the objective of conducting research on the economic and fiscal issues shared throughout Asia.

At the 13th Workshop held on June 5 in Tokyo (Mita Conference Hall), speakers from the three countries presented their views in the three sessions of “Impact of changes in the demographic structure on each county’s mid-term fiscal policy,” “Sustainability of and issues in pension plans,” and “Impact of changes in the demographic structure on the macro economy,” followed by a Q&A session as well as comments from panel members.

【Opening message】	【The workshop】

As one part of our intellectual support for countries transitioning to market economies, the PRI provides various types of support to the Banking and Finance Academy (BFA), a training entity for young management candidates from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Finance and similar organizations.

On this occasion, Mr. MUNENAGA Kensaku, first vice director of BFA and senior research fellow at the PRI and Mr. NAKAMURA, senior research fellow at the PRI, visited Uzbekistan to exchange opinions with various Uzbekistan government parties, including Deputy Minister of Finance ASHRAFKHANOV Bakhrom.

In addition, Messrs. MUNENAGA and NAKAMURA conducted the final oral examination of master’s degree theses for BFA students (who completed the 2018 Seminar for Central Asian and Caucasian Countries) and gave special lectures at both the BFA and Urgench State University.

【Meeting with Deputy Minister of Finance ASHRAFKHANOV】

The PRI and major Chinese research institutes have been engaging in research exchange in the field of economy and finance.

In June, we visited the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences (CAFS), Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Macro-economy Research Institute under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)), and other institutions in Beijing for an exchange of views on Chinese economic conditions and the impact of U.S.–China trade friction, etc.

【Meeting at the CAFS】	【Meeting at IWEP/CASS】

The PRI has been holding the Leading-Edge Seminar series of lectures, in which frontline researchers give lectures on leading-edge research within the academic community or of their own.

The following lecture was held in June.

【Mr. MIYAKAWA Daisuke】

PRI invites a broad range of experts in and outside the organization to hear leading-edge information so that we can obtain useful information contributing to the MOF’s policy planning. The following lectures were held in June.

【Mr. ANDO Tetsuya】

【Mr. OTA Tomohiro】