Kuniaki Makino - Appointed in AY2021

I always liked maps, riding trains, and history. But when I was introduced to the basics of economics in junior high school, I found its logic interesting—it was different from the geography and history I had studied until then—so I decided to study economics at university. However, I eventually began to wonder, "Why am I studying this kind of economics?" This led me to start researching the economics of modern Japan and its surrounding environment, tracing history backward from the contemporary Japan in which I live.

My primary research subject is the thought and activities of economists, economic critics, and bureaucrats in Japan during the wartime period of the 1930s and 1940s. This was an era when economics was deeply intertwined with and transformed by society. For example, economics became entangled in ideological conflicts, economists were mobilized by the government and the army and navy during the total war, and at the same time, the field that would be called "modern economics" after the war was formed to manage the wartime economy. Researching such cases inevitably leads to interdisciplinary studies that deal with thought outside of economics and uncover historical facts. Although it is challenging, there is a certain appeal in it: by delving deeply into a particular idea or event while also considering its surrounding "scope" and its "network" of connections to other things, one can create a "map," so to speak, and gain new insights. In the future, I hope to expand my research to include the economic thought of Keio University, beginning with Fukuzawa Yukichi, and to present my research findings to contemporary society.

While heading straight for a clear goal is one approach, your time as a student is also a period when you are allowed to engage in "trial and error" and do "useless things." Looking back on my own life, there were many times when the experience of taking a detour, or knowledge I acquired not for any immediate practical purpose, proved to be helpful in unexpected ways later on. While you should strive to deepen your understanding of economics, I also hope that you will acquire a liberal arts education in various fields, have a wide range of experiences, and work to develop a broad perspective.

(Interview conducted in January 2022)