Daigaku Yo-nenkan no Keizaigaku ga 10-jikan de Zatto Manaberu, Jissen-hen (Learning 4 years of college level economics in 10 hours, case studies)

This introductory book aims to strengthen the readers’ understanding of how economics can be applied to contemporary economic and social challenges. Many introductory books on economics are available that allow readers increasing opportunities to study economics according to their needs. There are many ways to strengthen one’s understanding of the economy and society through economics. The most common fields are business, marketing, and management. Among the various practical applications of economics, this book focuses on economic policies.
 
Why economic policies? The impact of economic policies on economic activities has become more pronounced after the spread of SARS-Cov-2 infection. The restrictions on movement associated with the spread of SARS-CoV-2 led to the fragmentation of economic and social activities; whereas economic policy measures, such as the provision of sustainability subsidies, played a major role in the maintenance of economic activities. Furthermore, economic policies have assumed greater significance because the nation’s population continues to decline with age, raising serious concerns, particularly in rural areas. These issues include how to make regional activities more condensed and interconnected, and how to maintain and repair aging infrastructure within a community or within a facility as a group, while simultaneously seeking to revitalize the region.
 
Furthermore, decarbonization and carbon neutrality (achieving virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050) are difficult to achieve through the efforts of any single company. It is necessary to orient corporate R&D activities and innovation initiatives toward carbon neutrality while further strengthening carbon taxation and emissions trading. In the area of economic security policies, the rivalry between the United States and China over technological hegemony under the Trump Administration drastically transformed the supply chains that Japan had established in accordance with economic principles.
 
All economic policies require policymakers to consider the advantages and disadvantages of certain measures. The advantages and disadvantages of a policy measure may differ from generation to generation (including future generations that are not yet born) and from region to region. When various time axes and numerous stakeholders exist, a logical economic framework may serve as a guide for considering ideal economic policies. This is the intention behind this book’s use of economic policies in applied economics.
 
While writing this book, I became aware of the differences between economics and economic policy. In general, economics is universally applicable, and its fundamental theory has remained the same throughout the ages. However, a fresh perspective is important for economic policies because many must respond to actual economic and social development as well as new challenges that may emerge from them. In other words, the nature of economic policies is such that they will rapidly become obsolete. This book features chapters focusing on subjects with a long shelf life, to the extent possible, yet it requires insights from economics.
 
This book addresses policy issues in various fields. Although these fields differ from one another, common ideas have emerged from an economic perspective. The author expects this book to serve as an entry point for readers as they apply economics to a real-world scenario and experience the joy of studying economic policies.
 

(Written by OHASHI Hiroshi, Professor / Vice President, Graduate School of Economics, Graduate School of Public Policy / 2024)