What is the UA&P/SGRA Japan Research Network?

The UA&P/SGRA Japan Research Network is a collaborative effort between the School of Economics of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) and the Japan Studies Research Team of the Sekiguchi Global Research Association (SGRA).

1. Understanding the Mechanism for Achieving Shared Growth: Enhancing Efficiency and Equity through Japanese Organizations in the Philippines
2. Disseminating research results through seminars, UA&P or SGRA publications, and online community activities
3. Undertaking consultancy projects, pursuing the principle of shared growth

• "What is "Shared Growth"?
• "Shared Growth" is a term coined by the World Bank in its 1993 "East Asian Miracle" report, which surveyed the peculiar development of eight highly-performing East Asian economies, namely, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. These economies experienced rapid growth in GDP per capita, as well as improvements in distribution of income, between 1960 and 1990. In short, income growth was shared by a large sector of the economy. Some economists have also referred to this phenomenon as "broad-based growth"
• What are efficiency and equity?
• These two concepts constitute the two basic objectives of modern economic analysis. Efficiency usually refers to an optimal allocation of an economy's resources. In one sense, this means that the country is producing the maximum feasible output. On the other hand, equity here refers to the distribution of income among the members of the economy.
• How are efficiency and equity related to shared growth?
• Achieving efficiency implies that the economy is growing as rapidly as possible. Achieving equity would imply that the income that an economy produces is shared as equitably as possible.
• Why focus on Japanese organizations?
• As mentioned above, Japan was one of the highly-performing East Asian economies that experienced shared growth. Hence, Japanese organizations transplanted outside of Japan bring with them the genetic material which enabled them to play a major role in Japan's shared growth experience. Such organizations, therefore, can play an important role in fostering shared growth outside Japan.
• On-going research on Japanese manufacturing companies in the Special Economic Zones, and on the Asian Development Bank
• Why the Philippines?
• This research was initiated and participated in by Filipino economists in UA&P and SGRA, who have been exposed to Japan in the course of their research.
• The Philippines is in dire need of achieving shared growth. Its growth has been relatively slow, and income distribution has not improved.
• In this regard, the Philippines can be considered a typical developing country (shared growth is a rare phenomenom in the developing world). Research in the Philippines may be relevant to other developing countries aspiring for shared growth.