午夜剧场

The Asian economy of the 21st century is undergoing a transformation at an unprecedented speed while deepening cross-border connections, pushing forward powerfully toward an unimaginable future. Amidst this great swell, Japan is now being forced to revise its positioning within Asia. Redefining strengths within diversity and building a future together—this is the fundamental strategy for living in the era of Asia.

The beginning of my relationship with Asia was my work at a trading company, which I joined after graduating from university in 1993. I was assigned to the apparel department and spent my days manufacturing in Asia. Far removed from the glamorous fashion worlds of Milan or Paris, I worked "in the trenches" at garment factories in China and Thailand. Words like "delayed delivery" and "defective products" were the most terrifying things in the world, and I never felt at ease. Even so, I was always excited whenever I went to the production sites. This was likely because people of different nationalities and roles were running toward a common goal, even while occasionally clashing. Then, the finished products would appear in stores. I was happy when the results of "collaboration" took a concrete form.

Back then, Asia was a partner that Japan could "choose" by exercising leadership. Japan formed its own value chains by unilaterally incorporating Asia. The technology transfer from Japan that occurred during that process also contributed to the sophistication of Asian economies. However, entering the 21st century, fields emerged where Asia surpassed Japan against a backdrop of significant technological changes such as digitalization and modularization. Now, Japan needs to be "chosen" as a trusted partner in value chains led by Asia. The era has shifted from one-way to two-way.

In addition to the trading company, I have also worked on development at United Nations agencies and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. While Asia has become the world's growth center, it is also a fact that it faces challenges unique to developing countries, such as the widespread coexistence of informal economies. It is important to understand this "other side" of the Asian economy. Now that connections have deepened, the challenges facing Asia are also our problems.

I strove to keep the writing as concise as possible without compromising the quality of the discussion. I would be honored if those with even a slight interest in the Asian economy would read it.

Kenta Goto

Chuko Shinsho

240 pages, 820 yen (excluding tax)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.