At RIETI, we aim at advancing knowledge and understanding of the economy and industries and, thus, contributing to better economic and industrial policymaking in Japan. Today this country faces "cataclysmic” economic and social changes, such as an aging and shrinking population, technological advances relating to what is referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, deepening global economic partnerships, and an increasingly competitive environment of international rulemaking. Under these circumstances, we address three main issues during our Fourth Medium-term Plan period (fiscal 2016 through fiscal 2019):
- I. Cultivating Japan's strength once again in the world economy
- II. Making Japan into a more innovative nation
- III. Overcoming the population decline
With a focus on these topics, RIETI conducts academic and interdisciplinary evidence-based research (1) to promote mutual interactions among various policy fields including industry, human resources, fiscal issues, and the international economy; and (2) to investigate the nature of problems facing the economy and society that are increasingly diverse and complex.
Our research strength encompasses:
- 1. Providing effective policy proposals from the perspectives of both the government and academia that are impartial and objective
- 2. Building networks of expertise integrating leading researchers, universities, and industrial circles within and beyond Japan so as to facilitate multidisciplinary research
- 3. Offering databases and resources that provide firm evidence for policy evaluation.
As the world is rapidly changing with the progress of globalization and technological innovations, we are determined to make our utmost efforts to further promote our research activities and to help Japan form a new growth path.
May 2017
