Economics and Security

In a piece published before the explosion of Covid-19 around the world (“Economics and Security,” Japan SPOTLIGHT, March/April 2020, pp. 4-5), Mr. Naoyuki Haraoka, Executive Managing Director of the Japan Economic Foundation and long-time Advisory Board member of the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations, noted international political challenges and political tensions inside countries (e.g., anti-globalization movements) already presented serious challenges to future global economic growth.  Regarding the above, Haraoka observes technological advances have had a Janus-faced role.  On the one hand, they have spurred growth and created “huge business opportunities.”  On the other hand, they have given birth to new international and domestic political stresses.  To address them while ensuring countries can continue to profit from technological advances, Haraoka argues countries need to work together to formulate global rules that will balance economic development and security considerations.  He also champions a role for business, civil society, and formal strategic planning in developing a comprehensive and reasoned response to the myriad political, economic, and social issues associated with technological advancements.  Lastly, he calls for Japan to take a leading role in digital economy governance as well as to work with other leading developed countries.  *****A PDF of the original article is posted with the gracious permission of the Japan Economic Foundations.  Copyright remains with the original holders.

Posting of this publication does not represent an endorsement by the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations and has been done to facilitate research and promote debate about multinational corporations/FDI in and from East Asia and the environment in which MNCs operate/FDI occurs.