author

 
Menu
Search
 
April 29, 2024
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Michael Spence
For Michael Spence's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 1, 2015
China's new international growth agenda
China now has a strategy to ensure its economic transformation benefits other countries in Asia and beyond.
COMMENTARY / World
May 1, 2015
China's slowing new normal
Beijing must do what it takes to ensure that any further slowdown in China's economy is not viewed as secular trend.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 7, 2015
Public investment can bring sustainable growth
The best way to avoid the risk of an extended period of weak economic growth is to fuel productivity growth by improving human capital and innovation through properly targeted public investment.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 21, 2014
Reforming China's 'commanding heights'
Xi's effort to root out corruption has empowered both the party and the reformers. The question is how far they will take their reform ambitions.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 28, 2014
Europe could jump-start a sustained recovery
Europe has a real chance to conclude a bargain if member countries implement fiscal and structural reforms in exchange for short-run relaxation of fiscal constraints focusing on growth-oriented investments.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 27, 2014
The difference between good and bad equality
The 'old' theory about inequality was that redistribution via the tax system weakened incentives and undermined economic growth. But the relationship between inequality and growth is far more complex and multi-dimensional than this simple trade-off suggests.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 4, 2014
Regional security deficits threaten economic growth
Political insecurity, potential conflict and deteriorating international relations pose a greater threat to global economic progress than the post-2008 financial crisis debate foresaw.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 23, 2014
Rebooting China to a different growth model
China has no choice but to change its growth model by pursuing a balanced program of high-return investment, high-value government services and a higher level of household consumption.
COMMENTARY / World
May 26, 2014
New digital technology wave replacing labor
People scrambling to keep up with digital technologies need to know that the world we are entering is one in which the most powerful global flows will be ideas and digital capital — not goods, services and traditional capital.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 28, 2014
Tradable gains in Spain rain hope for recovery
Though domestic investment is constrained by credit availability, major European and Latin American multinationals have begun investing in the Spanish economy, attracted by its enhanced competitive posture, structural flexibility and recovery in domestic demand.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 24, 2014
An economy resilient to political dysfunction
Recent analysis shows there is little correlation between America's highly publicized political dysfunction and its relative economic performance in serveral dimensions.
COMMENTARY
Dec 30, 2013
The distributional challenge
Assessing the recent past and looking forward to the near term may well be a necessary exercise when it comes to the global economy in 2013 and 2014.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 21, 2013
America's reckless financial policy
The U.S. pattern of decision making (or nondecision making) on debt deadlines has already created additional risk and will surely be reflected in upward pressure on interest rates.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 21, 2013
It's now decision time for the global economy
Think of the U.S. economy as an eight-cylinder engine running on five amid fiscal consolidation, public-sector investment shortfalls and the normalization of part-time work.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 5, 2013
End of China's exuberance
Chinese authorities' acceptance so far of a slowdown in economic growth is a good sign of investment opportunities ahead that were absent in the more exuberant past.
COMMENTARY / World
May 29, 2013
The Sino-American decade
Beyond the bilateral benefits, the rest of the global economy depends on Chinese and U.S. leadership — in terms of growth and global economic coordination.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 21, 2013
Obama budget recognizes economic tradeoffs
President Barack Obama's proposed U.S. budget addresses a range of hard political and social choices/tradeoffs for the first time in the postcrisis period.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 25, 2013
Divergence of policies in Europe, Italian style
Even if the eurozone's structure is modified to achieve the desired level of fiscal discipline, countries will continue to diverge in other important respects.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 25, 2013
Pay attention to the resiliency of public assets
As a long-term priority, developed countries must build public assets to have the resilience and flexibility to respond to structural change over time.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 26, 2012
Hard truths about global growth
The world's high-income countries are in economic trouble, mostly related to growth and employment, and now their distress is spilling over to developing economies. What factors underlie today's problems, and how appropriate are the likely policy responses?
Number of homeless in Japan hits record low
Homeless people sleep on the street in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward in August 2021.
In Japan, regional revitalization fails to halt population decline
Sakiyama elementary school in Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture, in March .Over the past decade, the government has directed efforts toward policies designed to give young people incentives to base themselves in rural areas.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Ukraine is far from doomed
When comparing Ukraine’s military situation in 2024 to Europe’s in 1941, Russia’s defeat seems entirely possible.
When will Japan intervene to support the yen?
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki has reiterated the government's readiness to take an appropriate action as the yen continues to slide against the U.S. dollar.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Kyotographie's strong 12th edition shines light into the margins
Yassine Alaoui Ismaili, who goes by Yoriyas, turned to photography, shooting motion while in motion himself, after an injury forced him to give up his career as a professional breakdancer.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

A young restaurant leads the way in Karuizawa
A young restaurant leads the way in Karuizawa

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER