Course Spotlight: Seminar Courses | International Economics

Faculty members specializing in international economics are based not only in the Faculty of Business and Commerce but also in the Faculty of Economics and the Keio Economic Observatory, all located on the Mita Campus. Graduate students studying international economics are likewise enrolled in both the Graduate School of Business and Commerce and the Graduate School of Economics. This concentration of researchers and students engaged in international economics is a valuable asset of the Mita Campus. The Joint Seminar in International Economics was established to harness this strength in graduate education and research.

The seminar is taught by several faculty members from these academic units. Participants include master’s and doctoral students enrolled in the Graduate School of Business and Commerce and the Graduate School of Economics, as well as exchange students studying at Keio. The seminar focuses primarily on international trade and applied microeconomics. Students present academic papers related to their research interests or their own master’s theses or doctoral dissertations. Through questions and discussions with other participants, they deepen their understanding and refine their research. The seminar is conducted in English. Researchers from outside Keio are also occasionally invited to present their work. The photos shown here were taken during one such guest presentation.

Since the late 2010s, some countries have increasingly sought to restrict trade, unilaterally alter international trade rules, and even use such measures to threaten other countries and gain leverage in political negotiations. Although investigating the political and social factors behind these developments is both important and intriguing, economic analysis should also examine whether such policies actually deliver the outcomes anticipated by the citizens, governments, and leaders of the countries adopting them. When they do not, we should investigate why the expected outcomes failed to materialize and whether the original claims may have been mistaken from the outset.

Japan, too, is adversely affected by these trade policies of other countries. It is therefore worthwhile to clarify how such policies affect Japanese businesses and the national economy, and to develop practical policy recommendations that can help prevent or mitigate adverse effects originating abroad. These are important issues in international trade, but the seminar also addresses a wide range of other economic phenomena. Through the seminar, we pursue research on issues of significance together with participants from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

(Professor Masahiro Endoh)