In recent years, there has been a growing tendency for books that are bestsellers in South Korea to become hits in Japan, and vice versa, for books that are popular in Japan to become hot topics in South Korea. A representative of a publishing company that pioneered the Korean book market in Japan talks about the current situation in Japan and Korea. Kim Seung-bok, CEO of Cuon Inc. Japan and South Korea have become competitive societies  ——In 2019, Mr. Kim Soohyun’s essay Watashi wa Watashinomamade Ikirukotonishita (I decided to live as me [original title: 나는 나로 살기로 했다 (2016)]) (Wani Books Co., Ltd., 2019), which Ms. Kim was involved in translating and publishing, was published in Japan and became a bestseller with a cumulative circulation of 550,000 copies (1.8 million copies worldwide). Why do you think Korean “picture essays” have become such a big ... ... [Read more]

  Emerging countries are entering the world of international aid, and South-South cooperation is becoming more multilateral. These emerging donors and developed countries should work together to provide assistance. Developed countries and Japan can consider assistance that promotes transparency and adherence to international standards, and that links issues such as the SDGs and FOIP.   Kondoh Hisahiro, Professor, Saitama University   The rise of emerging countries is not limited to the political and economic arena. Since the early 2000s, aid from emerging countries has been in the spotlight, and the term “emerging donors” has been coined. However, “emerging donors” does not mean newly emerging aid donors. Rather, as will be discussed later, countries such as China and Saudi Arabia are emerging donors in the sense that, although they have been involved in aid for a long time, they have recently begun to attract attention ... ... [Read more]

Key Points: Clear message that there is no rush to raise interest rates Remaining high import prices due to the weak yen are a turbulent factor Focus on revisions to future guidance and JGB (Japanese Government Bond) purchases The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has almost completely ended large-scale monetary easing, including its negative interest rate policy, and taken a step toward financial normalization. The BoJ will end its control of long-term interest rates and return to traditional policy management using short-term interest rates as its sole policy tool, and will gradually end its purchases of risky assets. Meanwhile, the Bank has continued to purchase long-term government bonds and has stated that accommodative financial conditions will be maintained for the time being. I would like to reflect on the key points of the policy changes, the outlook for future policy, and related issues. The BoJ ... ... [Read more]

  In Cambodia, Bakong, the world’s first digital currency issued by a central bank, has been welcomed by the people and widely established. The author, who helped design and implement it, discusses the factors behind its success in the country, as well as its further development and future opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region.   Miyazawa Kazumasa, President, Soramitsu Co., Ltd. 1 Introduction This article introduces the development of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in the Asia-Pacific region and the efficiency of cross-border remittances, taking into account the latest developments in Cambodia. In Cambodia, the digital currency “Bakong” issued by the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) officially launched in October 2020. Japanese fintech startup Soramitsu Co., Ltd. also participated in the development and design of Bakong. I currently serve as the president and representative director of Soramitsu, and since 2017 I have also served as ... ... [Read more]