Growth and Poverty Reduction:

Japan and its East Asian neighbors are considered economic development success stories, having realized growth and reduced poverty. Africa, by contrast, stirs concern about the sustainability of its economic growth. JICA-RI studies the reasons for successful growth and poverty reduction in Japan and East Asia and also the reasons for Africa's vulnerability. We also explore success factors that can be shared to help design development strategies for Africa from East Asian perspectives.

Research Themes

1. Economic Development in AfricaSustainable economic development in Africa is a key research topic at JICA-RI. There is a widely held theory that ethnic diversity correlates negatively with economic growth, but a mechanism by which ethnic diversity affects economic stability has yet to be investigated. JICA-RI hopes to shed light on this sensitive issue using a comprehensive range of analytical methods, from political science and economics to anthropology. Another study being undertaken in Tanzania analyzes of the impact of management training in furniture clusters. JICA-RI is also conducting "An Emprical Analysis of Expanding Rice Production in Sub-Saharan Africa" in conjunction with the JICA initiative "Coalition for African Rice Development."

Photo: Atsushi Shibuya/JICA

2. Economic Development in AsiaAsia is known to have achieved rapid economic growth, which can be seen in the development of “East Asian Miracle" and the more recent growth of India and China. While boosting development by embracing globalization, Asian countries have also recovered from the negative impacts of the globalized economy such as the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and the 2008-09 global financial crisis. However, in recent years, the "middle-income trap" – stemming from low productivity and the lack of technological innovations – has been casting a shadow over Southeast Asia. Also drawing increasing attention are the impacts of other factors on the regional economy, including aging societies and declining birthrates, the progress of economic integration led by the ASEAN framework, and the situation of democratizing Myanmar. To address these issues, JICA-RI is incorporating both economical and political approaches to examine the vibrant and diverse economies of Asia.

3. Infrastructure-Building in AsiaActivities in this category entail empirical research on Asian countries that are significant development partners of Japan. JICA-RI gathers and analyzes household-level panel data in Indonesia and the Philippines to examine the role of infrastructure in economic growth and poverty reduction. MDG progress in those countries is part of this study, as is analysis of the current financial crisis. Another ongoing research effort assesses the impact of Infrastructure on poverty alleviation, featuring a case involving irrigation projects in Sri Lanka.

Photo: Takako Yuki/JICA