Since its establishment in April 2001, the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) has for a full decade engaged in a broad spectrum of policy research. Primarily for the purposes of encapsulating our research findings during the five-year period covered by the Second Medium-Term Plan (FY2006-2010) and of providing an overview and discussing the policy implications of the results of our key research projects in a readily comprehensible manner, we have arranged with Nippon Hyoronsha to publish the three-volume set titled The Frontiers of Economic Policy Analysis:

• Volume 1: Economic Vitality in the Face of Low Fertility and an Aging Population
• Volume 2: Productivity and Innovation Systems
• Volume 3: Globalization and International Economic Strategies

Respectively covering the topics of (1) Maintaining economic dynamism under the adverse demographic conditions of low fertility and an aging population, (2) Promoting innovation and strengthening international competitiveness, and (3) Formulating Japan's strategy in response to globalization and deepening economic interdependence in Asia, these three volumes provide overviews of findings compiled by the researchers leading the research projects and edited by our president and the research counselors for each topic. We hope very much that this three-volume set will enable a greater understanding of RIETI's research results thus far and offer readers an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of evidence-based policy formulation.