Commentary: New Currents in Science: The Challenge of Quality,examining the discrepancies and incongruities between Japanese techno-scientific policy and the citizens’ science movement in post-3/11 Japan

This commentary is inspired by my participation in the conference on post normal science: New Currents in Science: The Challenges of Quality, 2016, Ispra.First, I will describe Japanese commitment to PNS, which consists of a part of the long history of the Japanese response to European citizens' science/technology movement, in the framework of the introduction of Post-Normal Science in East Asia.Then I will re-examine the relationship between techno-science and democracy after 3/11 Japan, where triple disaster has radically changed the relationship between science/technology and society, and hence the very nature of Japan as a democratic society. Japan had been returning to an authoritarian state and technocratic nation in the aftermath of 3/11. As for the citizens' sphere, since 3/11, Japanese society has been badly divided; in fact, the current division of Japanese society is as bad as that of the Trumpian US.I have applied several conceptual tools to analyze this post-3/11 situation of Japan, that it was created by a combination of 'disaster capitalism' (a concept described by Naomi Klein (2008)), and 'normalcy bias'. The new political climate in post-3/11 Japan results in part from the politics of emergency, and partly from the manipulation and distortion of democracy.From the viewpoint of democracy and science, cases of thyroid cancer in Fukushima and its surroundings are a serious and even pathetically painful issue. One hundred seventy two children in and around Fukushima have already had their thyroids removed in surgical operations. But any suggestion of causality between the Fukushima incident and thyroid cancer is officially rejected. It is announced by the authority's voice that "radioactivity risk is safe, take it, because risk creates chance", like the proclamation given in the novel 1984 by George Orwell. Behind this is another historical psychology, that Japan has overcome Hiroshima and Nagasaki and made a great success in economic development. Post 3/11 Japan is judged as not a good place to discuss science and technology in a deliberate manner supported by a reasonable democracy with mutual understanding and value-free examination of techno-science in action. But, in this time of serious social divide and political populism, can PNS and a citizens' science approach now lead the way to fill in the gap? Are there any lessons from PNS that can be applied to post3/11 Japan? The question is still open.     

Vertical intra-industry trade and foreign direct investment in East Asia

As economic integration in East Asia progresses, trade patterns within the region are displaying an ever-greater complexity: Though inter-industry trade still accounts for the majority, its share in overall trade is declining. Instead, intra-industry trade (IIT), which can be further divided into horizontal IIT (HIIT) and vertical IIT (VIIT), is growing in importance.In this paper, we set out to measure and examine vertical intra-industry trade patterns in the East Asian region and compare these with the results of previous studies focusing on the EU, to which such analyses so far have been confined. Based on the supposition that VIIT is closely related to offshore production by multinational enterprises, we then develop a model to capture the main determinants of VIIT that explicitly includes the role of FDI. The model is tested empirically using data from the electrical machinery industry. The findings support our hypothesis, showing that FDI plays a significant role in the rapid increase in VIIT in East Asia seen in recent years. J. Japanese Int. Economies 17 (4) (2003) 468–506.     

东日本大地震对日本经济与世界经济的影响

2011年3月11日日本东北地区发生了日本有史以来最大级别9.0级大地震,随之引发了大海啸,对东日本沿海地区造成了严重破坏,夺去了2万多人的生命。更为麻烦的是这次大地震和大海啸还导致了福岛第一核电站的核泄漏,这一次生灾害带来的恶劣影响甚至超过地震和海啸带来的灾难。总体来看,如果核泄漏能够得以控制,其对短期的日本经济影响很大,但程度有限,对世界经济和中国经济的影响也有限,但对日本经济发展的长期影响则不可低估。     

领导委派如何影响中层管理者内创业行为——积极追随力与多任务时间取向的调节作用

中层管理者作为战略性角色和操作性角色的结合体,其连接着内外部与上下级,是公司创业的重要力量。以20家企业201位中层管理者作为研究对象,对领导委派与中层管理者内创业行为关系进行研究。结果发现:领导委派对中层管理者内创业行为具有正向影响;积极追随力在领导委派与中层管理者内创业行为间起部分中介作用;中层管理者的多任务时间取向对领导委派影响中层管理者内创业行为的直接效应具有调节作用,对领导委派通过积极追随力影响中层管理者内创业行为的中介效应也具有调节作用。研究结论不仅有助于丰富内创业理论和追随理论,还可为激活中层管理者内创业行为提供重要实践启示。     

东亚货币合作的现状分析及中国的战略选择

经济全球化和区域经济一体化的世界经济趋势对东亚货币合作提出了迫切要求,东亚国家在金融领域暴露出的金融体系脆弱性要求加强东亚货币合作。鉴于亚洲地区政治经化的复杂性和差异性,整个亚洲的金融合作条件远未成熟,但东亚地区的经济往来密切,具备了一定的基础。本文对东亚货币合作的现状和未来可能的路径和前景进行分析,并对中国的参与提出建议。     

从日本FTA战略看东北亚地区经济一体化的发展趋势

战后,日本充分利用了贸易自由化时期的有利国际环境,在"贸易立国"战略指导下,多年来一直奉行多边自由贸易政策,从不搞双边的自由贸易协定。20世纪90年代中期以后,随着国际和国内环境的变化,日本的经济合作政策发生了明显的转变,日本媒体、企业界和政府对区域贸易集团的关注程度明显提高。2001年,中国与东盟就10年内建立中国东盟自由贸易区达成一致,对日本加快区域经济一体化进程起到了关键性的推动作用,日本加快了构建双边自由贸易区的进程。     

产业集群网络结构演化过程与特征研究——以东湖高新技术产业集群为例

产业集群网络具有动态演进性,产业集群的成长过程可以认为是集群网络结构的优化过程。本文以东湖高新技术产业集群为例,分析了东湖高新技术产业集群在萌芽、起步、发展和基本成熟四个阶段中网络结构的演化过程,发现政府政策推动作用、龙头企业带动作用以及研发支撑与创新导向在集群网络的构建和结构完善过程中起到显著的作用。