Category Archives: Japan

The Global War on Cash – Lessons from History

Introduction Regular readers will be fully up to speed on the Reserve Bank of India’s botched attempt at a handbrake turn style demonetisation thanks to Jerri-Lynn Scofield’s thorough coverage (see here, here and here for more background on this sorry tale). But the Indian government’s attempt at implementing a strategy of moving an economy away from physical cash […]

Read more...

Japan Isn’t Playing Neoliberalism’s Word Games

Has the progressive left in western democracies forgotten how to embrace the mainstream? When I compare the approach which anti-neoliberal causes take in the U.S. and Europe with the approach taken by the same causes in Asian countries, especially Japan, I can only say yes, it has. One explanation for how pro-labor movements have been […]

Read more...

Artificial Intelligence and Employment

The substitution of human labour by artificial intelligence and robots is a keenly debated topic. Some claim that a substantial share of jobs is at risk, while others argue that computers and robots will lead to product innovations and hence to unimaginable new occupations. This column uses a survey of Japanese firms to examine the impact of AI-related technologies on business and employment. Overall, firms expect a positive impact on business but a negative impact on employment. Firms with a highly skilled workforce, however, have a more optimistic view than firms with lower skilled employees.

Read more...