About JERI

The Japan Economic Research Institute (JERI) was established in 1946, during the chaotic postwar period when Japan’s future was still uncertain.

The founder and first chairman of the board of directors, Kamekichi Takahashi, was an out-of-power but up-and-coming economist. Tired of watching the government do little more than carry out the orders issued by the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers, Takahashi was motivated to study the fundamental questions that concerned the Japanese economy rather than focusing on the nation’s immediate problems. He determined that the only solution was for private volunteers to step in and deal with the situation and, thus, decided to found Japan Economic Research Institute.

However, discovering the essence of what drives economic development is not an easy task, and many debates over the “growth” controversy (1958–), theories involving the “turning-point and stable growth” theory (1965), and “growth deceleration” (1970) resulted.

Among the thinkers was an economist named Osamu Shimomura, father of the high economic growth theory, who took up Takahashi's mantle and consistently stood in the forefront as an opinion leader in these debates and, later, in 1984, became chairman of JERI, where he led the organizationnization, until then mainly funded by the Japan

Previously funded mainly by Japan Development Bank (predecessor of Development Bank of Japan Inc.), JERI had reorganized in 1981, adding new financial backers and expanding its network of support to include other institutions in not only government (both national and local) but also other sectors such as education and industry. Accordingly, the organization expanded the scope of its activities from economics to include regional development, PFI/PPP, environment, energy, medicine, welfare and other areas both domestically and overseas.

Responding to the changing business climate resulting from the 2009 governmental reform of laws governing charitable corporations, in December 2010 JERI became two entities: The Japan Economic Research Institute (hereinafter “JERI”), a general incorporated foundation (GIF), and Japan Economic Research Institute Inc. (hereinafter “JERI Inc.”), dedicated to activities related to commissioned studies. This bifurcation facilitated JERI’s deeper and broader research and dissemination of information, often in conjunction with the Research Center for Regional Future, which it established to actively study and find solutions to local and regional problems.

JERI has inherited its predecessor’s research spirit. For us, as our motto declares that “continued analysis of current conditions and insight into the essence of economic dynamism” are two critical issues.
We will continue to maintain this attitude, aiming to be an “excellent research institute”and a “pilot think tank that always takes the extra half step” ,as our motto. And then, we strive to contribute to the creation of a better society.