GraSPP Research Seminar by Richard Katz
Details
| Type | Lecture |
|---|---|
| Intended for | General public / Enrolled students / Applying students / International students / Alumni / Companies / High school students / Technical college students / University students / Academic and Administrative Staff |
| Date(s) | November 19, 2025 12:15 — 13:00 |
| Location | Hongo Area Campus |
| Venue | TAISEI Conference Room, 14th Floor International Academic Research Building Hongo Campus, 糖心破解版 |
| Entrance Fee | No charge |
| Registration Method | Advance registration required
|
| Registration Period | November 13, 2025 — November 19, 2025 |
| Contact | GraSPP Research Seminar Secretariat Graduate School of Public Policy 糖心破解版 graspp.pr.j[a]gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp (please replace [at] with @) |
GraSPP Research Seminar:
[Overview]
"The Contest for Japan’s Economic Future: Entrepreneurs vs. Corporate Giants"
Just as a wave of entrepreneurship created Japan’s postwar “economic miracle”, so it will take a new generation of entrepreneurs to revive its stagnant economy. A complex distribution system dominated by the incumbents has made it hard for newcomers even to get their products on store shelves. Fortunately, major social changes are now opening new opportunities. Generational changes in attitudes about work and gender relations are leading more and more talented people to the new companies. This includes ambitious women who are regularly denied promotions at traditional companies. The rise of e-commerce is enabling tens of thousands of newcomers to bypass the traditional distribution system and sell their products to millions of customers. Three decades of low growth have convinced many within both the elites and the public of the need for change. Still, progress remains an uphill climb because of resistance by powerful forces. Bank financing remains quite difficult. For example, the system of “lifetime employment” has made it very hard for newcomers to recruit the staff they need. Banks, who are often in the same sprawling conglomerates as the corporate giants, are still loath to lend to new companies. While parts of the government try to promote more startups, other parts resist making the needed changes in regulations, taxes, and budgets. Japan’s economic future will be determined by the contest detailed in this book.
[Language]
English
[Speaker]
Richard Katz (Journalist affiliated with Toyo Keizai INC.)
[Overview]
"The Contest for Japan’s Economic Future: Entrepreneurs vs. Corporate Giants"
Just as a wave of entrepreneurship created Japan’s postwar “economic miracle”, so it will take a new generation of entrepreneurs to revive its stagnant economy. A complex distribution system dominated by the incumbents has made it hard for newcomers even to get their products on store shelves. Fortunately, major social changes are now opening new opportunities. Generational changes in attitudes about work and gender relations are leading more and more talented people to the new companies. This includes ambitious women who are regularly denied promotions at traditional companies. The rise of e-commerce is enabling tens of thousands of newcomers to bypass the traditional distribution system and sell their products to millions of customers. Three decades of low growth have convinced many within both the elites and the public of the need for change. Still, progress remains an uphill climb because of resistance by powerful forces. Bank financing remains quite difficult. For example, the system of “lifetime employment” has made it very hard for newcomers to recruit the staff they need. Banks, who are often in the same sprawling conglomerates as the corporate giants, are still loath to lend to new companies. While parts of the government try to promote more startups, other parts resist making the needed changes in regulations, taxes, and budgets. Japan’s economic future will be determined by the contest detailed in this book.
[Language]
English
[Speaker]
Richard Katz (Journalist affiliated with Toyo Keizai INC.)
