Fukunari Kimura - Retiring in AY2023

I suppose every researcher has a different way of engaging with economics. In my case, after graduating from university and spending about four years traveling around developing countries for research related to Official Development Assistance (ODA), I decided I wanted to earn a degree, find a position at an institution like the World Bank, and work on development issues. That's why I began studying economics. Therefore, rather than pursuing the advancement of the discipline or the search for truth, my consistent stance has been to use economics as a tool as much as possible. Researchers dedicated solely to academia might scold me for this, but I take pride in believing that I have, to some extent, played a role in bridging the gap between economics and the real world.

I have always wanted students to understand the usefulness of economics. I believe this is a prominent feature of international trade theory, the field I happened to choose. There are theories that deductively describe economic logic, and we explore economic mechanisms through mutual feedback with empirical research based on data. Then, we deepen policy discussions by seeking counterfactuals based on some theoretical model. This approach is extremely useful for providing a perspective on one cross-section of a chaotic reality. Recently, data-driven approaches have been gaining traction within economics, but I hope that the importance of economic logic, or theory, will continue to remain a vital element.

Broadly speaking, my research and educational themes have been threefold: the advancement of globalization and the sophistication of the international division of labor; the transformation of the international trade order that supports it; and development strategies for developing countries adapted to a new era. Since the 1990s, international production networks centered on the machinery industry have developed in East Asia. To elucidate these mechanisms, in addition to analyzing international trade data and manufacturing census data, it was essential to visit factories and inspect infrastructure in developing countries. Going into factory parts storage areas to find out which parts came from where, how many days they took to arrive, and by what means, and investigating where time was being lost in port unloading, customs clearance, and domestic transport—these were important steps to understand what was happening. Later, as the implementation of digital technology advanced, it became more difficult to see what was happening, both statistically and through direct observation, but there is no doubt that the form of the international division of labor is now changing significantly. Amid rising geopolitical tensions, there are frequent calls for the end of globalization or the fragmentation of supply chains, but since globalization is led by technology, it is far from over. I want to continue thinking about how the power of globalization can be harnessed for economic development.

I want students to recognize the usefulness of economics, but at the same time, to understand that not all problems can be solved by economics alone. To put it simply, the same event can look completely different from another perspective. There are various ways of looking at the world, and I think it's important to be aware of this and to view any academic discipline with a degree of objectivity. In that sense, half a century ago, so-called social science research was thriving and provided a lot of intellectual training, but I am a little worried that today's students may not have many opportunities to engage with such things. During your time at university, I strongly encourage you to explore various academic fields.