2024 Volume 33 Issue 2 Pages 93-103
The term “Japanese-style” cooperation has frequently been used in the context of emphasizing Japan's unique international contributions. Nevertheless, its meanings are diverse and there is no single definition. This paper examines the characteristics of “Japanese-style” cooperation from the perspective of industrial development. Industrial development is an area in which Japan's unique development philosophy and approach are evident. As the first non-Western latecomer to successfully industrialize, Japan aggressively absorbed foreign knowledge in the process of catching up. As a result, it has fostered a unique perspective on “how” of learning to industrialize. This perspective and methodology are strongly reflected in Japan's development cooperation.
This paper first reviews the existing literature in the fields of development economics, international development cooperation, and knowledge creation theory, in light of how “Japanese-style” development and cooperation have been discussed in relation to industrial development. Next, it presents “translative adaptation” as a perspective that is closely related to the above and that Japan should actively disseminate to developing countries and the international community, to promote learning and sharing knowledge for development. Translative adaptation means that a latecomer country selectively adopts and adapts foreign technologies and systems to fit its own capabilities and societal characteristics, rather than importing them in their original form. The paper then examines three examples of Japan's industrial development cooperation from the perspective of translative adaptation: policy dialogue, Kai- zen promotion in Africa, and industrial human resource development in Thailand. Finally, in light of changes in the international development environment, it offers recommendations and challenges for upgrading Japan's intellectual cooperation.
