Japan International Cooperation Agency

About: Japan International Cooperation Agency is a government organization based out in Tokyo, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 555 authors who have published 613 publications receiving 9536 citations.

Addressing Challenges of Urbanization for Quality of Growth

Abstract: Industrial structure transformation and urbanization are intrinsically self-reinforcing. Because urbanization is one of the most important enablers of rapid growth, countries that want to grow fast must learn how to make urbanization work well. There are two challenges related to urbanization: The first challenge is to foster the growth of high productivity activities that benefit from agglomeration and scale economies. The second involves managing the likely side effects of the economic success of cities, i.e., urban poverty, pollution, congestion, and high prices of land and housing, as well as regional inequality. From a quality of growth perspective, one of the effective approaches to address these urban challenges could be “re-urbanization with land readjustment.” This chapter aims to discuss its effectiveness, advantages, and challenges.

Quality Growth Focusing on Resilience to Disaster Risks

Abstract: Quality growth is expected to enable people and society to strengthen resilience and transform their economy, making it more resilient. Enhancing resilience against disasters is a fundamental attribute of quality growth. Towards Reconstruction: Hope Beyond the Disaster, a report by the Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 2011 highlights seven principles for the reconstruction framework. They are fundamental concepts for resilience enhancing quality growth. This chapter mainly discusses natural disasters with particular regard to the concept of resilience.

Scale of Groups and Communities

Abstract: Bringing different geographical, social, and time settings within the host society into discussions, this chapter looks at the influences of the scale of groups and communities on relationships between and among expatriates and host nationals. It compares the small Japanese community and JO’s small field office in Makassar, as well as other small offices in different times and places, to the much larger Japanese community and the Jakarta office discussed in previous chapters. This chapter traces different patterns of connections and interactions between and among Japanese expatriate employees, families, and related host nationals. The scale of the in-between porous spaces alters in accordance with their shifts between openness and closure, and thus depicts the formation of “porous bubbles.”

Transnational Business/Social Ties: Consequences of Interactions

Abstract: Using the results of a short survey together with ethnographical findings, this chapter examines the consequences of face-to-face interactions between expatriate and host national employees within and beyond host societies. Face-to-face interactions through everyday work and life transmit “thick” information and bring about other outcomes, such as shared emotions and feelings, among participants. This chapter demonstrates that some ties between expatriate employees and the host society, especially host nationals, are unbounded by the specific geographical place or time of an expatriate assignment period. With a focus on the emotional dimension of their relationships, this chapter offers a macro picture of employees’ social networks and the consequences of their transnational movements. It suggests the creation of a latent transnational business/social community beyond geographical and social boundaries.