Activities

The Institute of Developing Economies (IDE) conducts research on economic, political and societal issues in developing economies to support Japan's expansion of harmonious trade and investment and provision of international economic cooperation focused on developing economies.

With the aim of providing an intellectual base to the world through its research activities, IDE conducts some 50 research projects annually, ranging in scope from basic to comprehensive. When selecting research topics, IDE conducts questionnaire surveys and holds seminars to identify particular needs of individual economies and industries.

IDE research focuses on supporting economic development in East Asia and strengthening economic ties between Japan and East Asian countries. By drawing on the combined expertise of outside experts and the institute's own experienced staff ― as well as conducting field surveys and joint research with foreign institutions ― IDE studies address developing-economy policies and key international issues, often from the perspective of Japanese economic cooperation. At the same time, the institute continues to carry out comprehensive research on developing economies throughout the world, including those in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Oceania.

The institute enriches its past work by hosting visiting researchers from overseas, collaborating with domestic and foreign researchers, organizing international symposiums, dispatching IDE staff overseas, and making presentations at international academic conferences. Through these efforts, IDE serves as a unique foundation for sharing and elaborating on research into developing countries.

In its "Global Economic Strategy" released in April 2006, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in a bid to further enhance economic integration in East Asia, stressed the importance of the creation of an institute that can function like an Asian OECD. In line with this, Japan made a proposal at the 2nd East Asia Summit held in Cebu in January 2007 to establish the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). The proposal was well received.

IDE will play a key role in ERIA's creation, through conducting joint surveys with foreign research institutions and universities, and disseminating survey results through seminars and publications.

IDE study results are disseminated through diverse channels, including publications, lectures and seminars. In addition to a growing list of academic reports and introductory books aimed at the general public, the institute also offers select titles in English through overseas publishers, in order to reach a wider international audience. Furthermore, IDE offers lectures across Japan on topics ranging from the general to the highly specialized.

Every year IDE organizes an international symposium inviting prominent researchers from around the world to discuss global issues. The latest information on these events, as well as updates on developing countries and profiles of IDE researchers, is available on the IDE website. The institute publicizes as much information as possible, making the full text of discussion papers and reports available on the internet.

The IDE Library houses one of the world's largest collections of information on the economic, political and social conditions of developing countries, comprising some 4,000 newspaper and periodical titles, over 54,000 maps and 560,000 titles devoted to statistics on foreign countries, and in addition to general academic research materials, multitudes of reports from foreign research institutes and international agencies. Visitors to the library can make use of copy, reference and internet search services. Library users can also access full texts of IDE Digital Archives, which include rare materials from IDE collections, and also sign-up to receive email alerts when selected materials or information arrive. The IDE Library operates a satellite office within the Tokyo Business Library, where users can arrange in-office use of IDE Library materials and order copying service of IDE Library materials.

As part of IDE's efforts to build a knowledge base and foster human resources in developing countries, the IDE Advanced School (IDEAS) works to nurture experts in the field of socio-economic development. The school has programs for Japanese and overseas fellows, with maximum opportunity for participants to work together to achieve higher goals. To date, IDEAS graduates have gone on to play key roles in international agencies, domestic and international economic cooperation agencies, and in development assistance projects in developing countries, utilizing the knowledge and skills gained and personal relationships made as an IDEAS fellow.