1. 26 October 2017 by Sigrid B. Wangsness
JAPAN’S ECONOMY
26 October 2017 by
Sigrid B. Wangsness

2. I. Historical Perspectives
Developments in Japan’s economy from 1980:
The 1980s: “the golden era” = boom
The 1990s and the 2000s: Two decades of sluggish growth, recessions and uneven recoveries = economic stagnation/slump

3. Japan’s Economy in the 1990s
1990: The stock market crashed
Collapse of the bubble economy:
The property market crashed, huge public debts, bankruptcies, government budget deficits, corruption scandals
Deflation

4. Japan’s Economy in the 1990s
What was at the core of Japan’s economic crisis?
What is meant by “bad loans”?
How did the Japanese government try to help the banks?

5. Japan’s Economy in the 1990s and 2000s
“The Japanese model”
Other problems of the Japanese economy in the late 1990s
Reforms implemented by the government in Japan
Why such a slow recovery? Opinions differ…

6. Japan’s Economy in the 1990s and 2000s
Many analysts blame the Japanese government for failing to boost demand but rather implementing a stop-go economic policy.
Other analysts refer to certain aspects of the Japanese corporate culture as main reasons for the economic problems of the 1990s/ 2000s. Which?

7. II. The Present Situation
The present state of the Japanese economy through economic indicators:
GDP: 1.4% (Q2)
(Prediction for 2017: +1.5%)
Inflation: +0.6 (Aug.) (2017: +0.5)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (Aug.)

8. The Present Situation Current-account balance:
+$192.2bn (Aug., latest 12 mos.)
+3.6% of GDP 2017
Budget balance:
-4.5% of GDP 2017
Where is Japan ranked on the list of the world’s top ten largest economies in 2017?

9. The Present Situation
Summarize the main ideas of the article “Japan’s master plan” in three sentences.
(Compendium, p. 115)
What is “Abenomics”?
What are the major challenges for Abenomics?
Is Abenomics working? Discuss! (Compendium, pp )

10. III. The Japanese Culture
Outline the main aspects of the Japanese business culture as Richard D. Lewis portrays it.
(Compendium, pp , 45-49)