Columns that reveal the world
- Getting up close and personal with the researchers -

Development economics is a field that analyzes poverty and other issues in countries that are in the process of economic development, and seeks to find a path to development. In particular, I have been very interested in the issues facing the Mexican economy, where I have studied abroad. The first is the issue of inequality. Mexico is classified as a middle-income country as a whole, but there is a huge disparity, with some poor areas and some rich areas, and the poverty rate tends to be higher in the southern part of the country, farther from the United States. It is said that 60% of the population in the country is in the informal sector*1, where people earn a daily living by performing tricks on the street or selling simple meals, and I suspect that the COVID-19 pandemic has also had a major impact. The second is about the role of the global value chain*2. Mexico was incorporated into the global value chain, and factories were built within the country, becoming a production base, creating jobs and boosting the economy in some areas. However, economic growth stagnated at the stage of using cheap labor to carry out low-value-added processes, and the country as a whole has fallen into a "middle-income trap" that prevents it from joining the developed world. I am also focusing on the relationship between globalization and income inequality.

On the other hand, survey results show that the happiness level is high in Mexico despite the disparity in society, and the easygoing and cheerful national character of Mexicans is very interesting. As for the friends I met there, I got the impression that they have strong family ties. Also, although there is a deep economic connection with America, there is also a deep-rooted resentment towards America for losing their territory in a war, and yet there are also people who admire America, giving a glimpse of complex emotions.

In recent years, I have had limited opportunities to visit Mexico, and it takes time for all the data to be available, so I cannot say for sure, but in a severe situation like the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the vulnerable people without a safety net, such as those in the informal sector, who are most affected, and it is likely that their jobs are decreasing. In addition, it is worrying that Mexico is said to have a high COVID-19 mortality rate.

A mural in the National Palace by Diego Rivera that makes us think about inequality

*1 An employment form in which working conditions such as wages, social security, and holidays are not protected by law or contract, and workers do not pay taxes.

*2 International input-output is a method of dividing the production activities required to produce a single good into multiple processes, and producing each process in the most efficient country.

After studying at Aoyama Gakuin University School of International Politics, Economics and Communication, I went on to the master's program at our graduate school. I liked the unique feel of Spanish, which I had studied as a second foreign language during my undergraduate years, so I studied it outside of class by attending external open courses, and during the spring break before my third year, I went on a short-term language study abroad trip to Malaga, Spain, to intensively improve my Spanish skills. In addition to studying economic theory in my third year, I took a development economics class, which sparked my strong interest in this field and made me want to study development issues in Spanish-speaking Latin America. For my first master's thesis, I researched the field of development economics in Chile. I also wanted to see the local situation with my own eyes, so I participated in NGO activities in rural Guatemala, providing logistical support for the construction of a nursery school in a village without electricity or water. I'm not sure how much my poor Spanish helped me, but I interacted with the people who lived there and thought about what it means to be rich under the starry night sky. After graduating from graduate school, I got a job, but I couldn't suppress my desire to study abroad, so I took the government scholarship exam and graduate school entrance exam while working. When I told people I was quitting my job and going to the Graduate School of Mexico (master's course), they were very surprised. Even after returning from Mexico, my desire to research did not stop, so I commuted long distances to Kobe University Graduate School (doctoral course) and obtained my doctorate.

In my research to date, I have attempted a multifaceted approach based on three pillars: "economic theory," "empirical evidence," and "national characteristics." "Economic theory" is the foundation of my thinking, "empirical evidence" is an objective and scientific verification method, and "national characteristics" is investigating things that cannot be understood through theory or statistical methods alone. Based on the theories of macroeconomics, microeconomics, international economics, and development economics, I would like to conduct research by combining analysis and empirical evidence using statistical methods and qualitative surveys on the ground. In addition to reading a wide range of literature, I believe it is also important to "see and understand" the local situation with one's own eyes.

Having spent more than two years living in Mexico City during my graduate studies, I have written a paper on Mexico's development issues with the above three research pillars in mind. For example, based on the economic growth theory of macroeconomics, I have examined the extent of productivity disparities between regions in Mexico, and whether poor states are catching up with rich states. Thanks to my own network, I was able to obtain detailed price data by city and by product that is not generally available, and based on the theory of international economics, I have also examined whether prices are moving toward uniformity among cities in Mexico. As expected, it is the issues of inequality and poverty that I am very interested in. I will continue to upgrade all of my "economic theory," "empirical evidence," and "national characteristics," and deepen my research with the aim of achieving results that will lead to measures to correct inequality.

The Mexican Graduate School, where we continue to have exchanges with

I think the best part of studying and researching is the fun of learning things you don't know. I've always been involved in economics, so I'm used to looking at society from an economic perspective, but since I came to this faculty, I've added sociology, politics, and international cooperation to my thinking, and I've started to look at society from multiple perspectives. This leads to various realizations in everyday life. Take online shopping as an example. For the orderer, it's convenient when you're busy because you can get anything delivered immediately with just one click, but each time a package arrives, the number of cardboard boxes increases. On the other hand, from the delivery company's perspective, if you're not at home, they have to visit you multiple times, which only increases their burden. Excessive cardboard boxes are one of the environmental issues. The problem of online shopping is also closely related to Goal 12 of the SDGs, "Responsible Consumption and Production." Measures such as making consumers pay for waste disposal costs may lead to some improvement, but there are complex issues involved, and I don't think that will solve the problem on its own. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for online shopping is increasing and competition among companies is intensifying. The working environment for those involved in delivery is also becoming more difficult, so I feel that it is time to take a bird's-eye view and rethink this system.

Looking back on my student days, there is no doubt that my greatest weapons at the time were my curiosity and energy. For better or worse, I was young. I followed my interests and continued to challenge myself to do what I wanted, which is how I got to where I am today. At the time, the Internet was not as developed as it is now, and information could only be obtained by searching for it myself. For example, when I participated in NGO activities in Guatemala, I got advice from a graduate school classmate who was a Ministry of Foreign Affairs employee, obtained a list of NGOs from the United Nations University, which is right in front of Aoyama Campus, and called and visited every NGO with projects in Latin America to ask about them. If I thought something sounded interesting and wanted to go, I would look for a way to go and push forward. Nowadays, there is a system in place to obtain various information within the university, so I would like students to actively use it and challenge themselves to do things that interest them.

As a teacher, I am committed to nurturing talented people who can play an active role in society. I myself was reckless at times due to my youth, and there were many twists and turns, but I feel that I was able to grow a lot thanks to the guidance of my teachers and the influence of those around me. I hope that students leave the school not only with academic knowledge, but also with good sense, wisdom, judgment, initiative, leadership, cooperation, and communication skills. I believe that if such students play an active role in society, it will lead to social contribution.

As for my future research, I plan to resume fieldwork once it becomes possible to travel abroad. I am also interested in the relationship with Asian countries, which have close ties with our faculty. I will combine economic theory and empirical evidence with a field perspective to pursue themes that only I can address.

(Published in June 2022)