Ayako Obashi - Appointed in AY2023

My specialty is the study of international trade and its rules and systems. I am interested in the various issues surrounding corporate production activities that cross national borders, and my research focuses particularly on East Asia, where the development of international production networks has been remarkable. I am exploring what form trade policy and other related policies should take as part of development strategies.

For one year during high school, I did a homestay in Australia with a family of Chinese immigrants. From that time, I began to think that I wanted a job that would serve as a bridge between Japan and Asia. For my undergraduate studies, I chose SFC (Shonan Fujisawa Campus) to study international politics and international relations. While doing fieldwork in Southeast Asia, I became interested in the issue of poverty and joined a research group to study poverty and development. The professor of that research group introduced me to Professor Fukunari Kimura, who would later become my mentor, saying, "If you want to pursue this path, why don't you join a research group at the Faculty of Economics in Mita?" To be honest, at the time I didn't even know what an indifference curve was. But youth is brave, and driven solely by the thought that "it looks fun!" I ended up studying international trade theory in the Kimura Seminar. Before I knew it, I had become a researcher.

I am fascinated by the core idea of international trade theory—that "gains from trade" are generated when countries divide roles according to their strengths and weaknesses. It resonates with how our own lives are enriched through mutual interaction with others. Above all, another appeal is that in the midst of a transforming global economy, the field is full of policy questions that have no single correct answer.

As I get older and look back on my life, I often realize that events and experiences I had thought were unrelated were actually connected in various ways. I feel that as long as you approach everything with sincerity, nothing is meaningless. It's okay to fail. Be true to your feelings of "This looks fun! I want to try it." Here at the liberal environment of Keio, I hope you will take on many challenges, have many experiences, and think about many things. I am sure that beyond the experiences you accumulate, encounters that will enrich your life are waiting for you.