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This paper discusses the noticeable nervousness of many US-based financial statement issuers in adopting IFRS. For contextual purposes, the paper provides an overview of the FASB/IFRS convergence so far and its probable future. A detailed review of convergence in accounting standards is explained through the respective standards for "Pensions and Other Post-Employment Benefits". The paper concludes by suggesting that, while one set of global steps is a noble goal, it might not achieve the desired goal of comparability.

Fitts' Law is, more often than not, thought of as standard knowledge in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. However, in many occasions, interface components are being built by professionals with little or no knowledge of HCI principles (e.g., software menus are often being built by software developers with no designer input). How much appreciation of Fitts' Law exists among developers, and how does it affect our collaboration with them and the software they build and we use? To help answer this question, a survey among 65 designers and developers was conducted, as well as an analysis of the Computer Science undergraduate curricula from 94 internationally high-ranked universities. The contribution of this paper is twofold: firstly, treating Fitts' Law as an Open Educational Resource and, secondly, the analysis identified gaps that extend beyond HCI Education and fall in the sphere of Epistemology.

In this paper I reflect on the findings of a number of loosely related research projects undertaken with colleagues over the last ten years. Their common theme is equity, in formal education and beyond, in wider family and social settings, and with inequity expressed as the stratification of a variety of educational outcomes. The projects are based on a standard mixture of pre-existing records, official documents, large-scale surveys, observations, interviews and focus groups. The numeric data were largely used to create biographical models of educational experiences, and the in-depth data were used to try to explain individual decisions and disparities at each stage of the model. Data have been collected for England and Wales, in five other countries of the European Union and for Japan. A meta-view of these various findings suggests that national school intakes tend to be at least moderately segregated by prior attainment and socio-economic factors, and that learning outcomes as assessed by formal means, such as examinations, are heavily stratified by these same factors. There is no convincing evidence that compulsory schooling does very much to overcome the initial disparity in the resources and attainment of school intakes. On the other hand, there are indications that the nature of a national school system and the social experiences of young people in schools can begin to equalise educational outcomes as more widely envisaged, including learning to trust and willingness to help others, aspirations, and attitudes to continuing in education and training. The cost-free implications of the argument in this paper, if accepted, are that everything possible should be done to make school intakes comprehensive, and that explicit consideration, by teachers and leaders, of the applied principles of equity could reduce potentially harmful misunderstandings in educational contexts.

Background: Under the impact of globalization and the coming of the Information Age, there is a paradigm shift occurring in the engineering curriculum and academic structure. Apart from the creation of new programs for the emerging fields in engineering, the approach and orientation have also been shifted from objective-based/input-based education to outcome-based education. The criteria for the new generation of quality engineering graduates have been much broadened. Engineering program structures are being revised to facilitate student mobility, and set to meet global recruitment needs. Focus of discussion: This paper is divided into two parts: The first concerned with the general engineering education development and the second describes the developments in the European Union, the United States, and Japan. Suggestions: To meet the new learning outcomes, approaches to learning, teaching, and assessments are revised and realigned. Not only have the graduates to update their professional knowledge, they should also have acquired various generic thinking and communication skills, the ethical sense of social responsibility, learning how to learn and life-long learning, knowledge of foreign language and other culture as well as authentic experience in doing research. Conclusion: As engineering education is being internationalized, the government can keep in step with the international community by joining regional and international cooperation initiatives in engineering education. Students should be encouraged to participate in international research exchange programs. Institutions of higher learning must design new program structures, identify desired learning outcomes, determine ways to align and attain their outcomes through revising course content, provide pedagogical training for faculties, adopt a variety of teaching and learning methods, and devise appropriate assessment criteria and methods. (Contains 1 note.)

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems, together with text and data mining (TDM), introduce complex challenges at the junction of data utilization and copyright laws. The inherent reliance of AI on large quantities of data, often encompassing copyrighted materials, results in multifaceted legal quandaries. Issues surface from the unfeasible task of securing permission from each copyright holder for AI training, further muddled by ambiguities in interpreting copyright laws and fair use provisions. Adding to the conundrum, the clandestine practices of data collection in proprietary AI systems obstruct copyright owners from detecting unauthorized use of their materials. The paper explores the exceptions to copyright laws for TDM in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Japan, recognizing their crucial role in fostering AI development. The EU has a two‐pronged approach under the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, with one exception catering specifically to research organizations, and another, more generalized one, that can be restricted by rightsholders. The UK allows noncommercial TDM research without infringement but rejected a broader copyright exception due to concerns from the creative sector. Japan has the broadest TDM exception globally, permitting the nonenjoyment use of works without permission, though this can potentially overlook the rights of copyright owners. Notably, the applicability of TDM exceptions to AI‐produced copies remains unclear, creating potential legal challenges. Furthermore, an exploration of the fair use doctrine in the United States provides insight into its potential application in AI development. It focuses on the transformative aspect of usage and its impact on the original work's potential market. This exploration underscores the necessity for clear, practical guidelines. In response to these identified challenges, this paper proposes a hybrid model for TDM exceptions emerges, along with recommended specific mechanisms. The model divides exceptions into noncommercial and commercial uses, providing a nuanced solution to complex copyright issues in AI training. Recommendations incorporate mandatory exceptions for noncommercial uses, an opt‐out clause for commercial uses, enhanced transparency measures, and a searchable portal for copyright owners. In conclusion, striking a delicate equilibrium between technological progress and the incentive for creative expression is of paramount importance. These suggested solutions aim to establish a harmonious foundation that nurtures innovation and creativity while honoring creators' rights, facilitating AI development, promoting transparency, and ensuring fair compensation for creators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents Economic Department working paper titled "Capturing Nanotechnology's Current State of Development via Analysis of Patents," by Masatsura Igami and Teruo Okazaki. It aims to capture current inventive activities in nanotechnologies based on the analysis of patent applications to the European Patent Office (EPO). It states that the U.S., the European Union, and Japan have almost the same share in nanotechnology patent applications to the EPO, which relies strongly on countries' existing technologies and accumulated scientific knowledge.

The effects of direct payments on rice income variability in Japan are analysed based on a balanced panel dataset of Japanese rice farms for 2012–2016. Firstly, the contribution of income components to rice income variability and the effects of a direct payment reduction are discussed by applying variance decomposition. Secondly, robust regression techniques are used to measure the correlation between direct payments and rice income variability. The originality of this paper is that it disaggregates the effects of payments using a regression analysis of the effects of direct payments on income variability for Japan. This contrasts with the existing literature on this topic, which has largely focused on European Union countries. This paper discusses to what degree the reduction in direct payments increases income variability. The results reveal that direct payments decrease Japanese rice income variability. Indeed, after controlling for various farm characteristics, we find a negative relationship between the amount of direct payments linked to rice production and rice income variability. Finally, the results suggest that reducing direct payments when the rice price is falling would increase rice income variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union-Japan political and international development dialogue is resurging through the Strategic Partnership Agreement recently agreed between the two actors. The current paper argues that in order for this agreement to deliver on its promises, the EU and Japan need to build on their similarities, but more importantly on their differences and lessons learnt through their distinct international experiences. While common values and norms have helped them to agree on such document, building on their differences will help both actors to make this bilateral dialogue more productive and strategic. Through the theoretical lenses of policy entrepreneurship used to consolidate knowledge for development on horizontal cooperation, the paper questions how sharing their experiences as international donors can be of strategic relevance for both the EU and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a substantial rise in life expectancy throughout the last century, society faces the imperative of seeking inventive approaches to foster active aging and provide adequate aging care. The e-VITA initiative, jointly funded by the European Union and Japan, centers on an advanced virtual coaching methodology designed to target essential aspects of promoting active and healthy aging. This paper describes the technical framework underlying the e-VITA virtual coaching system platform and presents preliminary feedback on its use. At its core is the e-VITA Manager, a pivotal component responsible for harmonizing the seamless integration of various specialized devices and modules. These modules include the Dialogue Manager, Data Fusion, and Emotional Detection, each making distinct contributions to enhance the platform's functionalities. The platform's design incorporates a multitude of devices and software components from Europe and Japan, each built upon diverse technologies and standards. This versatile platform facilitates communication and seamless integration among smart devices such as sensors and robots while efficiently managing data to provide comprehensive coaching functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Text and data mining activities—that is, the automated processing of digital materials to uncover new knowledge—have become more frequent in all areas of scientific research. Because they require a massive use of copyrighted work, there are evident conflicts with copyright legislation. Countries at the forefront of research and development have begun to address this issue. This paper presents the basic aspects of legislation applicable to text and data mining activities. It offers a detailed comparative analysis of the norms of the main jurisdictions that have regulated them to date, highlighting in each case the positive and negative aspects. An adequate knowledge of these laws is not only important for researchers but also important for the academic librarians who provide advice and support in these matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the political underrepresentation of people with disabilities in the Japanese Diet and the conditions that allow their participation in the body. The paper addresses the following three research questions: (a) how are people with disabilities represented in contemporary Japan and the EU member states, and what are the differences between them?; (b) why have people with disabilities been underrepresented in Japan? and (c) how do candidates with disabilities but lacking typical political careers become members of the Diet? This paper further discusses the electoral system, political parties' attitudes toward people with disabilities, social and community participation of people with disabilities, and political culture as factors that affect minority groups' participation in the Japanese Diet. Key findings: (a) a comparison with EU member states shows that the underrepresentation of people with disabilities in parliamentary bodies is a common issue; (b) people with disabilities are less involved in traditional political communities and society in general, which hampers their participation in the parliament and (c) in the immediate postwar period disabled Diet members were mainly wounded people with typical political careers, but from the 1990s onwards disabled people without typical political careers became Diet members. Moreover, the proportional electoral system and political parties' stronger commitment to include candidates with disabilities facilitated the increase in disabled membership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The New-generation trade agreements, which include the agreement with Japan, provide wide coverage - not only the liberalisation of trade in goods or services but also the protection of intellectual property rights, the public procurement market, sustainable development and others. This paper aims to demonstrate key provisions and (both ex post and ex ante) opportunities that the agreement creates for EU companies. Research Design & Methods: The research methods include a critical review of existing literature, an analysis of relevant legal and official documents of the European Union, as well as the provisions of the EU-Japan trade agreement. The empirical research focused on Eurostat data. Findings: The provisions of the EU-Japan agreement provide an incentive for European companies to strengthen their position on the Japanese market. The elimination of import duties and other barriers to trade in Japan in relation to certain agricultural products on the entry into force of the agreement contributed to higher exports from the EU for these groups of goods. What might be expected is the additional effect of the liberalisation of bilateral trade on third countries. In fact, standards or rules agreed by Japan and the EU may become even more attractive to third countries, as their adoption would facilitate access to two large markets. Implications & Recommendations: Japan is a relatively important trading partner for the EU and vice versa. One of the biggest achievements of the agreement made between the European Union and Japan includes the wide and deep liberalisation of trade in goods. Despite the fact that the overall level of tariff protection is relatively low, there are still some groups of goods for which the protection in the form of customs duties constitutes an important barrier, as a result of which the conditions for competing on the partner's market deteriorate. It seems that EU entrepreneurs should make more use of the opportunities which are created by the provisions of the free trade agreement with Japan. So far, the trade crisis caused by the pandemic has stood in the way. Contribution & Value Added: Research conducted so far is of an ex ante nature, both regarding the provisions of the agreement (publications written before 2018) and the evaluation of its potential effects on economy, trade, production or selected sectors. The research carried out in this article is of an ex post nature; it covers the period following the entry into force of the agreement and does not present any growth scenarios or forecasts, as was the case in the existing research. The article attempted to juxtapose the provisions of the agreement with Japan with trade conditions applicable to EU companies, as well as with the growth rate, volume and coverage of bilateral trade in goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper deals with the interplay of major international infrastructure initiatives, in particular China's Belt and Road Initiative, Japan's Partnership for Quality Infrastructure and the EU strategy on "Connecting Europe and Asia". Their co-evolution is interpreted as the creation and further development of a new market, whose characteristics like its complexity, its properties as an international public good and its oligopolistic supply structure create interesting insights. The paper finds that initiatives have adjusted to each other, in line with expectations from a market perspective. While China's initiative at first followed a "low-price" strategy, Japan reacted with a "quality infrastructure" approach, also winning support from multilateral fora like G7 and G20. With the Second Belt and Road Forum, China has signaled to move closer to this line as well, and the EU is pursuing a similar approach as Japan, signing a partnership agreement with it. Interpreting this interaction as an oligopolistic structure, a chaotic competitive process has so far been avoided. The contest is actually evolving towards superior solutions, raising the quality of institutional infrastructure initiatives and, hopefully, of specific projects as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper has as its starting point two well-developed economies, the European Union and Japan, representing an eloquent example of a successful partnership. Through the right techniques and tactics, the negotiation between them bore fruit, developing the economy and infrastructure of both countries. This cooperation has opened the doors to new opportunities, new markets, free international trade, numerous investments, a trade policy based on values as well as sustainable development. The era of globalization and multilateral negotiations (early 2000s to the present) sees a major leap in the creation of multinational corporations, which expand into the world market. The need to solve global problems, combining national and global interests, puts multilateral negotiations first, making these problems even more topical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the economic impact of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (JEEPA) on all EU member states as well as Japan. The novelty of this study is that it refers to all EU countries and provides an overview of the expected output effects of JEEPA for all member states in a detailed sectoral breakdown. This impact is investigated using the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) framework. Calculations revealed that economic returns from JEEPA vary among the EU countries. Some of the more highly developed EU countries will experience beneficial effects from tariff reductions to a greater extent than others, while some of the newer, less-developed EU members will experience losses, caused by the lower competitiveness of these countries. Beneficial effects in the EU countries are expected mainly in the primary sector industries like meat and animal products, leather, grains, and crops; while in Japan, economic gains are expected in the motor vehicle and transport equipment industries. Despite the overall optimism accompanying the signing of the JEEPA, it is worth paying attention to the sectors that are expected to shrink as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Rural Economics / Nōgyō Keizai Kenkyū is the property of Agricultural Economics Society of Japan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The gross value of Australia's agriculture industry in 2001/2002 was A$38.4 billion with 65% allocated to exports. The major exports markets are South East Asia, Japan, USA, and the EU. Products include wool, beef, wheat, cotton, sugar, and wine. For Australia there have been significant changes over time in markets and production arrangements in the international arena. This is also true of the domestic market especially in the area of meat products. Australians, once dominant red meat eaters, have now ‘gone chicken.’ The total yearly consumption of meats averages around 110 kg per person. Beef up until recent years has always been the dominant player. However, in the last 30 years chicken consumption has risen from being a marginal food item to being a product that is expected to eclipse beef consumption in the very near future. This paper explores the trends and examines the changes as they are reflected by the behaviour of consumers and market chain drivers. The paper provides suggestions that could he gainfully employed at the consumer behaviour levels for other meat producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 1 February 2019 the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) entered into force, the largest trade agreement signed to date by the EU. The conclusion of this agreement meant the creation of the largest free trade area in the world, covering nearly 640 million people and one-third of the world's gross domestic product, all in the middle of the Trump era, a clear defender of protectionism. It eliminates over 90% of the tariffs paid by European companies exporting to Japan and represents a clear move against protectionism. Both powers share the same interests and values of democracy, the rule of law and the defence of human rights. This paper analyses the EPA taking into account the negotiation process, the normative text, the key elements and the impact of its first years of implementation. The work is completed with some conclusions, taking into account the repercussions of the crisis caused by COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers new and used automobile exports of the European Union, Japan and the United States within a gravity model framework. This standard framework has similar explanatory power for the new and used automobile exports of the European Union and the United States, as well as for the new automobile exports of Japan, but not for Japan's used automobile exports, a finding the paper associates with the importance of left-hand driving in determining the markets for Japan's used (but not 'made to order' new) automobile exports. The paper concludes that, while used automobiles are somewhat more important to lower income markets, controlling for discrimination and other factors, used automobile trade clearly supplements new automobile trade from the prospective of the importing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'lifelong learning' or shōgai gakushu has rapidly become one of the topmost priorities in Japan's education policy agenda. This was considerably evident in December 2006 when the term 'lifelong learning' was added to Japan's educational charter, the Fundamental Law of Education. This paper explores, as a means to develop Japan's new lifelong learning policy, the lessons that can be learnt through an examination of the European countries' efforts to build a knowledge economy, where lifelong learning is regarded as the key solution in overcoming several important social and economic concerns. In this paper, I first examine the current situation of lifelong learning in Japan, employing the ethnographic data that I have collected since 2001. Second, I provide a brief review of the European lifelong learning policy, which is one of the priority guidelines in the European Union. Under the Lisbon Strategy, for example, the argument on European lifelong learning theoretically centres on developing human capital in order to survive in the global knowledge economy. Lastly, referring to the European experience over the past decade, I propose to directly connect Japan's latest policy development regarding lifelong learning with the trend of building human capital through lifelong learning in order to enhance its competitiveness in the era of globalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is the East Asia region so important for the European Union? What are its interests and what challenges does it face? How it approaches its main strategic partners in the region, the People's Republic of China and Japan? The current paper is trying to answer these questions providing an analysis of the foreign policy of the EU in the region as it has formed throughout the last decade. It focuses mainly on a brief review of the literature and the research progress which has been accomplished so far with the purpose of identifying new challenges, weaknesses and factors that need to be included in future research. In the first part, there will be an effort to describe the interests, priorities and challenges of the Union. In the second part, there will be an analysis and description of the EU foreign policy towards its two major partners in East Asia, highlighting the main elements of their bilateral relationships. Lastly, there will be an effort to provide the future trends and possible actions to be taken by the EU, in order to further consolidate its presence in the area via a multifaceted strategy as presented at the EU Global Strategy of 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article analyzes the rise of mutual recognition regimes in Asia, focusing on some lessons from the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement. It discusses the difference of these regimes from the models in the European Union (EU) or transatlantic framework. The article concludes that mutual recognition in the region remains a continuous learning process between governments.

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Economics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

On 6 July 2017, after four years of negotiation, the EU reached an agreement with Japan over the main elements of a comprehensive free trade agreement. The breakthrough came at a time when progress on multilateral trade negotiations at the global level seemed out of reach and EU bilateral trade agreements faced strong public opposition. This paper examines the content of the new agreement with a view to global trade dynamics and assesses its main trade policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution and diversity of institutions across the United States, the EU and Japan, and the timing of the medical device framework splitting off from the drug regulatory framework, are striking. Regulatory agencies face a new landscape: the combination of industry-paid user fees and appropriations, and a general pro-business climate coupled with dramatic advances in medical technology, shortage in skilled experts trained in the latest state-of-the-art science, and necessary legal and administrative changes. This paper seeks explanations for the complex structure of medical device regulation by focusing on the meaning of the “life cycle” concept, opportunities for patient voices, and the scope of, and potential for conflicts of interest of, industry, physicians, scientific advisors and regulatory authorities. The paper concludes that the initial international differences between medical device frameworks tend to be mitigated by voluntary global harmonization, but that actual, effective integration into the national regulatory framework significantly depends on each nation's and the EU's embedded norms, rules and procedures, and politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By estimating three panel data models, the paper examines empirically the determinants of outward FDI of each Triad economy within the AFTA regional integration area over the 1995-2004 period. From the AFTA members' perspective, our econometric analysis provides information on the deterministic factors of inward FDI within AFTA originating from the United States, EU, and Japan. Our findings indicate that the FDI determinants and their relative importance differ to a considerable extent across the Triad. In general, however, international integration-related factors (such as the host country's degree of openness to the international economy and the importance of bilateral trade relations between the home and host country) as well as market-related factors (such as the host country's market size and the host country's degree of intra-AFTA market accessibility) are found to be the most important location determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impacts of geographic concentration on China's agricultural export instability with a multiple-region variance decomposition approach. The decomposition results suggest that China's agricultural export concentration into the Japanese market greatly lowers agricultural export instability, while concentration into the Hong Kong, South Korea, ASEAN, the US, and Russian Federation markets increases export instability. China's exports to the EU also lower its agricultural export instability. Further decomposition results indicate that the impacts of geographic concentration on different agricultural product export instabilities are different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines US, Japanese, and European political economy approaches to China, and their effect on US-Japan and US-EU relationships. Great powers with a greater security concern in dealing with another major country care more about power while those with less of a concern are preoccupied with calculations for wealth. China's rise and its actions have posed a far greater security challenge to the United States and Japan and are driving the two countries closer together. The political economy game involving China reveals a dominant welfare motive among the advanced market economies. The ambition to transform China politically has diminished. China's integration into the global market makes a relative gains approach difficult to implement. Globalization simply limits the ability of a state to follow a politics-in-command approach in the absence of actual military conflict, which explains why the political economy approaches of the United States, Europe, and Japan are not that different in the scheme of things. China's own grand strategy to reach out to the world to outflank the US-Japan alliance has also contributed to a divergent European policy toward China although there are severe limitations to Beijing's ability to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thesis of this paper is that governments of some otherwise enlightened states are increasingly fearful of acknowledging the restraints imposed on them by existing international law. They are also reluctant to enter into new commitments by way of international conventions that would expand the reach of international law. The paper asks whether these fears are based on a true understanding of international law or on some distorted view of it. It will draw comparisons and some contrasts between Australia and the United States in their reactions to a number of recent events as well as to some enduring situations of contemporary relevance. Had time (and the limits of my research) permitted, one might also have examined public attitudes toward international law in China, Japan, and Russia in this context, where similar fears appear to be entertained. France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, also enlightened states, appear by contrast to belong to a group more dedicated to international law. As Robert Kagan has recently remarked, the experience of two world wars at close quarters, and the formation of the European Union, have made the European countries more dedicated to process, where the United States is more interested in results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kyoto Protocol foresees emission trading but does not yet specify verification of (uncertain) emissions. This paper analyses a setting in which parties can meet their emission targets by reducing emissions, by investing in monitoring (reducing uncertainty of emissions) or by (bilaterally) trading permits. We derive the optimality conditions and carry out various numerical simulations. Our applications suggest that including uncertainty could increase compliance costs for the USA, Japan and the European Union. Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union might be able to gain from trading due to higher permit prices. Emissions trading could also lower aggregate uncertainty on emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care expenditure studies of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries remain important because their findings often suggest cost containment and other policy initiatives. This paper focuses on the compatibility of OECD health data with the "expenditure inertia" (or lagged adjustments) hypothesis, by modeling individual country time-series data of 21 nations for the 1960-1993 period. Maximum likelihood estimates of the Box-Cox transformation regression models reveal that: (a) the hypothesized impact of health "expenditure inertia" is both pervasive and strong, averaging 0.64 across the countries; (b) the real GDP elasticities of health care expenditures vary widely among the countries and average 0.34 in the short run--implying that health care is a necessity; (c) the long run GDP elasticities are less than 1 in 8 countries, unitary elastic in 8 countries and elastic in 5 countries--suggesting that health care is not universally a necessity or a luxury commodity for the OECD countries; (d) physician-inducement effects (dis-inducement in a few countries) are weak, with a mean elasticity estimate of 0.17; and (e) no unique functional form approximation model is globally compatible with the data across the countries. Health care cost containment policy implications of these findings are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011 the European Union's free trade agreement with South Korea was considered its most ambitious agreement with any Asian economy. In 2019, however, this distinction was handed over to the EU's Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan. With Japan being a top-ten trading partner of the EU, the EPA is of economic and political importance in times of rising protectionism to support rule-based trading principles as well as international standards and sustainability goals. The paper reviews EU-Japan trade structures and the components of the EPA accompanied by a structural gravity estimation that builds on the experiences of the EU-South Korea agreement. Manufacturing industries benefit from reduced duties and application of the same international standards, facilitating approval. The greatest potential for cost reduction through tariff cuts remains in the strongly protected agri-food sector. Given the importance of non-tariff measures in negotiations of the EPA, we consider a counterfactual 'gold-standard' scenario, in which the regulatory gap for standard-like non-tariff measures between the EU and Japan closes. General equilibrium results suggest welfare effects for Japan of up to 0.05% of real GDP. Estimated GDP effects for the EU are in the magnitude of 0.01%, however, with marked differences across EU Member States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Image Solutions Inc. (ISI) has released its newest version of ISIPublisher to help Life Sciences companies meet the standards for the electronic common technical document (eCTD) set by regulatory agencies in the U.S., Japan, and European Union (EU) nations, while responding to shorter-term requirements to publish in other electronic formats. The new version improves upon the existing solution that helps support these varying electronic submissions. It also helps fulfill the paper requirements for countries that still require paper submissions along with an electronic submission.

Copyright of Ankara Review of European Studies (ARES) / Ankara Avrupa Çalışmaları Dergisi (AAÇD) is the property of Ankara University European Union Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Two hundred and twenty-five papers relevant to fusion technology and engineering were presented at the 27th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference. The ITER project has reached 57.4% of the total construction work scope through to first plasma. Construction of ITER is indeed progressing at full speed, with some ITER components having already been manufactured, such as the toroidal field coil structures and the gyrotrons of the electron cyclotron heating and current drive system, as a result of decades of technological development. Construction of JT-60SA and WEST is also progressing on schedule to support ITER in various engineering and physics aspects. The EU and Japan are advancing with their pre-conceptual designs for DEMO, and the experience and lessons learned from ITER are already being applied to both designs. China reported on the status of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor engineering design. One of the technical issues evident from these DEMO designs is the interfacing of the plasma-facing, in-vessel components with plasmas. Advanced plasma-facing elements having liquid metals and an advanced in situ boron coating technology were applied to existing fusion reactors, the results of which were reported at this conference. It was also reported that commissioning of the injector for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility engineering validation and engineering design activities (IFMIF/EVEDA) project has been completed and testing of the Radio Frequency Quadrupole accelerator has begun. Europe and Japan presented their plans to construct neutron irradiation test facilities: the DEMO-Oriented Neutron Source (DONES) and Advanced Fusion Neutron Source (A-FNS), respectively. A new strategy based on a probability-based design method was proposed to mitigate the difficulty of defining the allowable limit for irradiation-induced degradation with limited empirical evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In its gender equality status, Japan lags behind the European Union (EU) and other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Only 16.7 % of academic staff in national universities are women. Although there has been a slow improvement during the last 45 years, the percentage of female staff remains particularly low in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. In 2018, female stuff accounted for only 12.3 % in agriculture, 8.7 % in science, and 6.2 % in engineering. The number of female graduate students and the number of female members of the Japanese geoscience societies have been steadily increasing since the 1998 campaign that increased the total number of graduate school places. However, low representation of females in academic job positions, as well as among the recipients of academic awards, suggests that a strong unconscious bias against women still exists in Japan. Continuing public attention to these issues is essential for the improvement of the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a worldwide declining trend in the number of countries that have retained capital punishment since the end of World War II, and the international society has created a series of benchmarks for modern democracies represented by the acquis communautaire by the European Union (EU), and relevant covenants by the United Nations (UN). Despite their efforts to urge Japan to abolish capital punishment, the Japanese government does not try to match it up and is rather running backwards in the international trend retaining inhuman and degrading practices. This paper examines the Japanese institutional and cultural context, and clarifies where the governmental resistance to the anti-death penalty norm stems from. It will critically investigate which institutional frameworks have been constraining anti-death penalty activists from getting involved in Japanese policymaking; and the extent to which cultural factors have been hindering their activities from gaining roots in Japan. Critical assessment of which specific approaches can help EU institutions and other European activist groups influence Japan more effectively concludes this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2010, the export resraints of rare earth in China have been of great concern in the world. On March 13, 2012, the United States( U. S.) , the European Union(EU) and Japan requested consultations with China with respect to China's export restraints of rare earth, tungsten and molybdenum ("Rare Earth Case"). Although the export restraints of rare earth are similar in essence to the disputed measures related to the export restraints on various raw materials in 2009, namely the competition between China and other WTO members, the specific forms of restraints have been developed. Combining to the WTO rules and latest dispute settlements, this paper makes an in-depth study of the dispute triggered by rare earth and tries to propose some countermeasures in attempt to provide resolution for the Rare Earth Case and safeguard legitimate interests of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Electric Propulsion (EP) on satellites for commercial, defense, and space science missions has been increasing in recent decades, from the first successful operation in 1964 aboard the Zond-2 spacecraft to the present day. This paper provides an overview of the technological and commercial development of EP systems that have been deployed. A review of the early years of EP application ends in 1980, when the first geostationary commercial satellite using EP, Intelsat-V, was launched. Beyond 1980, all EP-based spacecraft deployment data through 2018 are presented, divided by spacecraft type: GEO-synchronous satellite, LEO satellites, deep-space missions and small satellites. To date, a total of 587 spacecraft have been launched with some variant of electric propulsion. During the 1960s and 1970s, all 48 spacecraft using EP were government missions, with the US and USSR leading in the development, production, and flight of these systems. These first platforms included a variety of pulsed plasma thrusters, resistojets, arcjets, ion thrusters and Hall thrusters. The number of GEO satellites with electric propulsion systems has increased significantly since 1981, from an average of less than 5 satellites per year during the 1980s to over 15 in recent years. The corresponding annual fraction of EP based GEO satellite launches, compared to all GEO satellite launches, has increased from 20% during the 1980s to over 40% in recent years. For LEO applications, a gradual increase in the utilization of EP has been realized. Of the 167 EP-based LEO platforms deployed, resistojets were the most prolific legacy thruster type (124 S/C) with Hall thrusters gaining traction in recent years (25 S/C), appearing on 19 of 45 satellite missions in the past decade. Of all EP-based LEO missions, approximately half served as testbeds for new technologies. Through 2018, eight deep space spacecraft with EP have been launched, with the US, Japan, and the European Union leading these efforts. Small satellites are also benefiting from this technology, with 24 EP-based small satellites launched to date. Nearly half of these were launched between 2016 and 2018, demonstrating accelerated growth and a large potential for the future of this spacecraft class. • Overview of all electric propulsion missions, divided into mission classes. • For each mission type statistics are presented on the different thruster subclasses. • Arguments are given for the historical trends of the use of electric propulsion subclasses. • Current trends, for the growth/use of classes of electric propulsion, are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Integrated assessment models are extensively used in the analysis of climate change mitigation and are informing national decision makers as well as contribute to international scientific assessments. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of techno-economic assumptions in the electricity sector among fifteen different global and national integrated assessment models. Particular focus is given to six major economies in the world: Brazil, China, the EU, India, Japan and the US. The comparison reveals that techno-economic characteristics are quite different across integrated assessment models, both for the base year and future years. It is, however, important to recognize that techno-economic assessments from the literature exhibit an equally large range of parameters as the integrated assessment models reviewed. Beyond numerical differences, the representation of technologies also differs among models, which needs to be taken into account when comparing numerical parameters. While desirable, it seems difficult to fully harmonize techno-economic parameters across a broader range of models due to structural differences in the representation of technology. Therefore, making techno-economic parameters available in the future, together with of the technology representation as well as the exact definitions of the parameters should become the standard approach as it allows an open discussion of appropriate assumptions. Highlights • Comparison of technology representation and techno-economic parameters of 15 IAMs. • Structural differences in representing technology in IAMs are identified. • Methods of projecting techno-economic parameters differ across IAMs. • Strict harmonization of techno-economic parameters across models is difficult. • Recommendation to publish techno-economic parameters and technology representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the given study, the author analyses the provisions of the Agreement between the European Union member states and Japan on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Critical remarks are made, in order to modify, adjust and amend some of the aforementioned provisions. The paper is a follow up of the author's research activities in the field of judicial cooperation in criminal matters in and outside the European Union. The major research methods used in order to fulfill the objectives of this study were the close examination of the provisions of the agreement, followed by a solid critique of the some of these provisions, which were regarded by the author as incomplete or somehow problematic in practice. The conclusions of the critique regarding the current provisions are used both as an argument in order to amend the agreement and to adopt a new act on the institution of recognition and enforcement of judgments and other judicial decisions between each Member State and Japan In the author's view, the paper was intended to be useful to scholars and students of faculties of law and, especially, judicial bodies with concrete tasks in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The projects discussed in this paper, Galileo and ITER, are two contrasting experiences of Euro-Asian cooperation within Very Large (Public) Scientific Enterprises. They offer key insights into the deepening relations which have given shape to the rapidly expanding field of Euro-Asian collaborative interregional projects. Cooperative agendas within such "Big Science" endeavors heighten the question of the political considerations supporting the decision to engage specific forms of international cooperation. As the main driving force behind both projects, the EU's choices have resulted in the establishment of novel and distinct forms of Euro-Asian scientific cooperation. A better understanding of how such Euro-Asian initiatives emerge can logically be garnered by confronting the Euro-Chinese cooperation within Galileo, and the Euro-Japanese partnership within ITER. This comparison will show that the agendas and institutions of these two interregional policies vary greatly. Within the same policy field - in casu Large Scientific Projects - and in relationship to the same region - i.e. East Asia - this study shows that fundamentally different policies are practiced side-by-side. If in both cases Euro-Asian scientific cooperation has provided its participants with renewed leverage and unprecedented opportunities, the exact scope and function of these interregional collaborations range from the merely tactical in the Euro-Chinese Galileo experience, to the substantial in the Euro-Japanese ITER experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines interactions among the United States, Japan and the European Union over steel trade disputes with particular interest in Japan's reactions to the disputes. For this objective, this paper establishes an analytical framework that takes into account bilateral, international, and domestic factors in formulating a state's external policy and relations. It was found that the special relationship with the United States still impinged on Japan's reactions to steel trade disputes, but its influence has gradually declined. Moreover, growing familiarity with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and practices and collaboration with other countries enabled Tokyo to expand its policy options to handle steel trade conflicts with Washington. Significantly, Japan formally adopted seemingly bold measures to cope with the US steel safeguard action, but the measures' substantial influence on the US government was limited compared with those adopted by the European Union. Weak policy coordination among ministries prevented Japan from formulating strategic and effective measures in managing steel trade disputes with the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a systematic account for the perceptions and images of the European Union existing in Japan's public discourses of news media, national policy- and decision-makers, the business community and civil society. The article discusses a split in perceptions of the European between Japan's political and business elites, and the general public and civil society sector.