A Comparative Analysis of Japanese and German Economic Success
The aim of this book is to evaluate accurately economic development mechanism and to extract valuable lessons from a comparison of the economic development of Japan and that of Germany. The book covers an extensive range of economic issues: (1) macro-econ
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Ifo Institute for Economic Research Sakura Institute of Research
A Comparative Analysis of Japanese and German Economic Success
With 98 Figures and 66 Tables
i
Springer
Ifo Institute for Economic Research Poschingerstrasse 5 81679 Munich Germany Sakura Institute of Research 5-3 Kudanminami l-chome Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102 Japan
This publication is supported by the Japan Foundation. ISBN 978-4-431-65867-2 ISBN 978-4-431-65865-8 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-4-431-65865-8 Printed on acid-free paper © SpringerJapan 1997 Originally published by Springer-Verlag Tokyo in 1997
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 18t edition 1997 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in data banks. The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Preface In the half-century since the end of World War n, Germany and Japan have achieved miraculous economic development by virtue of their highly skilled work forces and their technological prowess. Both countries recorded high growth during the post-war reconstruction period and overcame numerous economic crises as they evolved into leading international economies. In the 1990s, however, the world has entered an era of super-competition resulting from factors that include the end of the Cold War and the narrowing of the gap between advanced economies and the emerging economies of Asia and elsewhere. Both Germany and Japan are now confronted by the need to adapt to a considerably altered environment. The most urgent tasks for Japan are the elimination of closed sectors in its economy through deregulation and other means, and the creation of systems that are open to the international economy and community. As a leading force of European integration, Germany also needs to create flexible systems that can accommodate change. This comparative study of economic and industrial systems in Germany and Japan began in 1993 as a joint project by the Ifo Institute for Economic Research and the Sakura Institute of Research. The initial objective was to identify the factors behind the economic success of Germany and Japan. As the study progressed, it became increasingly clear that, in both cases, economic success was the result of efforts to match social and economic factors in each country with the contemporary environment. As will become apparent from a perusal of the research findings, Germany and Japan now need to move into a new phase of development by adapting to a new epoch in an environment of increasing political, economic, and social internationalisation. A feature of this study is its emphasis on corroborative analysis that goes beyond the macro-economic level to encompass sem
