We are pleased to share the report based on the Asian Cultural Dialogues session held online as part of the 6th Asia Future Conference. Please click here to download the report.   SGRA Report Special Issue AFC6 Round Table The 4th Asian Cultural Dialogue “Are you okay?”  - Discussions on mental health, trauma, and fatigue in Asia   Date：August 28 (Sunday) 2022 Venue：Online Organizer：Atsumi International Foundation Sekiguchi Global Research Association (SGRA)   Abstract The past two years have been eventful to say the least – a worldwide pandemic that we are still in the midst of natural disasters that have wrecked devastation on local populations, domestic and international conflicts in areas such as Myanmar and the war in Ukraine that have led to the loss of lives and displacement of millions. These events have not only affected the external conditions of how we live, but also permanently affected how we perceive the world and others, as well as left deep emotional imprints. In this roundtable session we try and take stock of what has happened over the last few years and have a frank discussion about the side we often neglect to discuss – the emotional and individual, internal aspects of these issues. With presentations from Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan, this roundtable seeks to understand how recent events have impacted us mentally and emotionally, as well as the support systems and methods in place for people to cope with the reality we are now faced with. Through this discussion we hope to gain an understanding of some of the struggles that individuals in East and Southeast Asia are grappling with, as well as practical advice for dealing with the difficulties we experience in the new every day.   Download report.

I have “Problem Based Training Class” at my university. Students raise various social questions in English and try to find solutions. The vacant house situation is one of the issues which were taken up recently and I found this issue is not only for students who live in the provincial area, but mass media has taken up recently very often also.   Financial Times (electronic edition) reports in their “Japan’s Empty Villages Are a Warning for China” (October 30, 2022) that the number of vacant houses in Japan is increasing, and Chinese people are afraid that their real estate bubble would “Japanize”. However, I think there is no similarity in the vacant house situation in Japan and China. Then, how does China study from Japan? I did not have any special awareness of this article at that time. But the vacant house problems in both countries have made me uneasy now.     The reasons why it became vacant in Japan, are: There is no person to live with after old residents passed, away and being almost untouched condition. Now I notice such houses between my house and the nearest station in the same situation. I can say such an area is a vacant zone.   In China, an image of vacant houses is the one that has no residents despite being built for speculative investment purposes in high-rise building areas. There is no difference in the meaning of the words “vacant house” in Japan and China. But the origins of the words “vacant house” are quite different. I have distinguished these the words “vacant house” in Japan and China in this way.    There are so many “no occupancy” high-rise apartments in China and such areas are called “鬼城”(ghost town). Many people in Japan know these words. However, in Japan, the words “ghost town” mean a trace of the place where people have lived, and residents have disappeared. Of course, some residential areas have a few vacant houses, and some areas are called ghost towns when all residents disappear. The number of statics (every five years) by the Ministry of Public Affairs for vacant houses shows 13.6% in 2018 and this figure reached a record high in these 20 years.   I realized now that vacant houses mean just the same for non-Japanese and non-Chinese. A vacant house is a vacant house. According to Financial Times, the Japanese economy are keeping continue without any economic recovery after the collapse of the real estate bubble in the 1980s, and the FT worries about the present excessive investment in housing projects in China. Yes, if we will go back to the Japanese Bubble Period, we might be able to find similarities in the vacant house situations in China.   The FT warns further that if the real estate market in China would continue in such a present situation, they may repeat the same failure as the collapse of the real estate bubble in Japan. The reason why the population of China began to decrease. In Japan, the population has begun to decrease already and there are a lot of elderly. The increase in vacant houses is one of the reasons and there exists an inheritance problem also. If they cannot clean up their inheritance problems, they must keep their houses to be vacant. Such vacant houses cause the deterioration of public security and delay in urban development.   Now real estate problems include a wide range of issues both in China and Japan. Then, what does China learn from Japan? The excessive debt problem of China Evergrande Group (CEG) is still fresh in our minds. And excessive financing to real estate prices and soaring prices of real estate became distinct. Those situations are very similar to the collapse of the real estate bubble in Japan. After the regulation of CEG, we saw a lot of companies suffer from cash flow or are burdened with their debts. People who purchased real estate from CEG began to distrust CEG and cancel their contracts. Social confusion spread among ordinal citizens. Mr. Shin-ichi Seki, Head Researcher of JRI (The Japan Research Institute, Ltd.) says “China has already learned from Japan”. Weekly Magazine “Economist,” says also “China has made interest rate reduction and deregulation of financing to real estate companies already”. (September 13, 2022) I hope matters would not become worse.   Real estate is considered precious property both in Japan and China. (Of course, such thinking is not limited to Japan and China only.) As I feel strongly that people in both countries believe building houses revitalize their economy. In Japan, we see the news about depopulation, declining birthrate, or aging society almost every day. However, in such a situation, houses are being built new every day. It is not an exaggeration. According to the data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the number of housings starting in 2022 increased by 0.4% from the previous year. We can say China is not an aging society. But the population began to decrease last year for the first time.  I hope both countries should reconsider comprehensively the balance between the population forecast and the supply of new housings.     SGRA Kawaraban 736 in Japanese (Original)     XIE Zhihai / Professor, KYOAI GAKUEN University   Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Sabina Koirala

My life was a stream headed North. I was born in Nantou (南投)County in Taiwan. Nantou County is the only county that has no sea. It locates in the center of Taiwan and has a famous tourist spot “Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)”. Except for such tourist spots, it is not bustling and there is an image of the countryside. I enjoyed my childhood in Caotun (草屯), and moved to Taichung (台中) to go to a prestigious junior high school and high school. I went to an elite university in Taipei (台北). I headed for the North and urbanity. I am now in another further northern island country and living in the international big city Tokyo.   I do not forget a day when I was impressed with snow in Tokyo for the first time in my life. I used a humidifier for the first time because I felt an occurrence strongly of various health problems like skin drying when the temperature becomes low. I was surprised at the length of the night also when the sun sets at 16:30 in winter. When I encounter people who came from many countries, using complicated railway networks which seem to be a labyrinth of a different world, I realized that I am living in a big city.   The subject of my research is a Confucian scholar Ogyu Sorai (荻生徂徠) in Edo Period. He was ejected from Edo (Tokyo) and spent his teens and early twenties living in Nanso Town (midlands of Chiba Prefecture). After returning to Edo in the latter half of twenties, he was enlightened to be in a situation surrounded by “enclosed districts (廓)”. He compared his “Experience in Nanso” with thriving Edo in his front. And he concluded that the influence on  the people by “ customs (風俗) is big. Because their insight comes from the environment in which they are living, and their own experience. As a result, he emphasized the importance of their ability to understand “native customs” relatively apart from their present “enclosed districts”.      As I have changed the living places, I could acknowledge the difference between “native customs” and the limitation of “closed districts”. Though various information is flowing freely and quickly now, people’s ways of living and interests are different. Needless to say, there is a big difference in culture and concept of value once they cross borders.   Before I came to Japan, I had a simple impression of Japan. I shared the Taiwanese common images of Japan like “foods are salty” and “people are polite” etc.  Although these conclusions are not wrong, the complexities of Japanese culture are summarized in a very rough style. “Salty” may be applied to ‘Ramen’ or ‘ton-katsu (pork cutlets). Japanese home cooking is relatively lighter seasoning than that of Taiwan. I think traditional Japanese cuisine does not pursue heavy seasoning. As to Japanese politeness, they keep a certain distance in human relations. Sometimes, I feel the difference between their principles and real intentions.     Through my living in Japan for years associating with a lot of Japanese friends, I understand now that we cannot comprehend “the others” simply. And, at the same time, I feel I could comprehend various phenomena in “ourselves”. For example, when Japanese friends asked me “what are the characteristics of Taiwan foods?”, I noticed the meaning of this question for the first time. My conclusion was “Taiwan foods are sweet”. We can see discourteous behaviors often in Taiwan. But I think it comes from an atmosphere that does not pursue “conformity” with humane societies.   The purpose of comparison of “ourselves” and “the others” is not a judgment of their superiority or inferiority. Based on the understanding of the actual situation of “ourselves and the others”, to understand the others, we speculate “the others” by our features. And, to acknowledge ourselves, we contrast ourselves from the features of others. Through such understanding, we can relativize “the others and ourselves” and release both from “enclosed districts”. As I changed my living places very often, such understanding is very beneficial for me and useful for my comparative study of the history of thoughts also.     SGRA Kawaraban 733 in Japanese (Original)     CHIANG Hsun-yi /2021 Raccoon, Studying at ph. D course in Humanities and Sociology at the University of Tokyo   Translated by Kazuo Kawamura English checked by Sabina Koirala

Registration is now being accepted for the 37th Sustainable Shared Growth Seminar to be held on April 10th, through the collaboration of the Institute for Northeast Asian Future, Cpaf Uplb, and SGRA PH Sekiguchi Global Research Association of Atsumi Zaidan.   Title： East Asia Dynamics  Date and Time： April 10th, 2023（Monday）10:00～13:00 (Japan Time) / 9:00～12:00 (Philippine Time)  Venue： Atsumi Foundation Hall （Tokyo） &   Online （Zoom meeting） Charge： Free Registration： Register from the KKK37 Registration Form *A link for participation will be sent to those who have registered.   Host ： Atsumi International Foundation Sekiguchi Global Research Association （SGRA） Co-hosts： College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Co-hosts： Institute for Northeast Asian Future (INAF)   Inquiry： SGRA Secretariat   [email protected]     【Overview】   The World Bank's "East Asian Miracle Report" (1993), a study of the rapid growth achieved by eight East Asian countries, including Japan, was controversial in every sense of the word, but it should be noted that it focused on the theme of "growth and equity" as early as the report. This theme has recently gained popularity again with Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the 21st Century" (2014) and J.E. Stiglitz's "Price of Inequality" (2013). The unifying theme of this seminar series, inspired by this discussion, is "Shared Growth" (SHARED GROWTH), which refers to the simultaneous distribution of wealth and economic growth. However, this seminar will focus on aspects not covered in the "East Asian Miracle Report," namely "regionalism" and "decentralization," in order to better understand the dynamics of economic development in East Asia from the perspective of "shared growth. The discussion of "regionalism" will focus on the positive aspects of the "Flying Geese Model," which was conceived by the Japanese researcher      Akamatsu Kaname in the 1930s. This seminar will re-evaluate the significance of this theory in the development of the region, which in the 1980s gained renewed attention as an explanatory theory for the remarkable economic development of East Asia. Another trend that took place in East Asia in the 1990s was "decentralization”. Economic growth is supported by a society that sustains decentralization, which      can be thought of as a mechanism for supporting and diffusing growth. ※KKK stands for Kahusayan (Efficiency), Katarungan (Equity), and Kalikasan (Environment), which represents the socio-economic goals of sustainable shared growth. It is also the name of the revolutionary organization that fought for the independence of the Philippines from Spain. For the Philippines, therefore, KKK stands for what is most noble in her traditions, and is very much against repression, albeit peacefully. We feel that the Philippines is in dire need of sustainable shared growth, and requires nothing short of a revolution in our ways of thinking and acting.     【Program】   Presentation1: “Regionalization in East Asia” by Dr. Hitoshi Hirakawa ……………...…..(INAF, SGRA/AISF, Nagoya University)   In today’s presentation, the presenter uses the term "regionalization" as a comprehensive concept that indicates regionalism, regional cooperation, regional integration, and their institutionalization in East Asia (Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia) in a broad sense. Regionalism had two origins. One is Northeast Asia (mainly Japan) and the other is Southeast Asia. Both coexisted before the Asian currency crisis, and since then the ASEAN+3 framework, born out of it, has paved the way for multilayered institutionalization and economic integration. However, regional economic integration through the leadership rivalry of major countries has become the driving force, and it is facing new challenges. This presentation provides an overview of regionalization in East Asia over the past century and attempts to draw lessons for today's issues.     Presentation2:  “Decentralization in East Asia” by Dr. Max Maquito ………………………………...(CPAf/UPLB, SGRA/AISF)   We look at decentralization within nations as another force that defines the dynamics of East Asia. In my presentation, I will discuss whether decentralization is a substitute or complement to regionalization, another force that we think defines the dynamics of East Asia. I touch on two conditions whereby the two forces could be mutually complementary. The first condition pertains to the appropriate empowerment of the state. The state finds itself at the vortex of two conflicting forces, where it must find a suitable equilibrium. The second condition pertains to the existence of a common principle in these two forces that could feed on each other. One such common principle is that of shared growth.     Discussion: Seminar Chair: Dr. Max Maquito………………….(CPAf/UPLB, SGRA/AISF)   “ Possible Future Research Directions: Mutually Constitutive Regionalization and Decentralization, ASEAN and Citizen Positioning” by Atty. Damcelle Cortes ………………………………………..(CPAf/UPLB)   Regionalization and decentralization offer promising pathways for achieving shared growth. I offer another perspective for understanding their interface, that is that they are not just complementary but mutually constitutive. I further raise some insights and questions prompted by the presentations. One involves locating shared growth, ASEAN values and the citizen in the regionalization discourse. Another focuses on the nuanced and complex nature of decentralization.     “Regionalism by Local Governments and NGOs: Experiences in the Northeast Asia Region” by Gangzhe Li ………………………………………(INAF, SGRA/AISF)   With the collapse of the Cold War, regionalism began to gain momentum in the 1990s in the Northeast Asian region, where the socialist and capitalist camps used to be in conflict. Although decentralization processes varied, international regional development projects that transcended national borders were launched and moves toward the formation of sub-regional economic zones (SREZ) gained momentum. I believe that these international regional development projects are contributing to shared growth, as some progress has been made in decentralization along with the formation of SREZ.Dr.     “Case study of decentralization in Indonesia" by Dr. Jakfar Idrus …………………………(Kokushikan University, SGRA/AISF)   Although at first glance regionalism/regional integration and decentralization appear to be conflicting concepts, this study provides an innovative and new theoretical framework and argues that both concepts are mutually influential. It is necessary to clarify that decentralization as a mechanism for shared growth is a multifaceted issue. In Indonesia, decentralization at the local level has resulted in the concentration of power, wealth, and resources. Therefore, we must look at aspects of its implementation, not just administrative and fiscal decentralization. While state empowerment is certainly an important factor, community empowerment is also a core and critical issue for shared growth to be achieved.     Closing Remarks: Dr. Max Maquito…………………………………(CPAf/UPLB, SGRA/AISF)   See programme for more details. Programme in English Programme in Japanese Website in Japanese We hope to see you and your friends at the seminar!

SGRA Sustainable Shared Growth Seminar 36 Report SGRA Sustainable Shared Growth Seminar 36 Report In Search of Community Currency: A Study in Community Innovations Posted: March 2023 Organized By: Faculty of Management and Development Studies/University of the Philippines Open University; College of Public Affairs and Development/University of the Philippines Los Baños; Sekiguchi Global Research Association/Atsumi International Foundation Seminar Report (Lite Version) (HD Version available on request from editor)