I have studied the economic history of Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries from two perspectives. One concerns what locations (gateways) have served as connection points for multilayered linkages and flows (networks) created by the economic activities of overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese amid significant changes in the economic structure (framework). I have examined such economic activities by tracing the rise and fall of the invisible economic zone that expanded from Hong Kong, the gateway city, to South China, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. The other perspective concerns Japan’s approach to modern and contemporary Asia during the same period. I have examined this by tracing how the Bank of Taiwan, a Japanese special statutory bank, was involved in Japan’s southern expansion. Through my research, I have examined the historical contexts, paths, and conditions of the Asian economy that have led to the present situation in a multidimensional and realistic way.

In addition to my ongoing research on economic history, I am currently studying politics, economics, diplomacy, and society in Singapore, a project I started after joining the JETRO Institute of Developing Economies. In particular, I am conducting a comparative study on Singapore and Hong Kong, the latter of which was the subject of my previous research[[Please confirm.]]. My research examines today’s financial centers with an emphasis on historical context as well as informal and asymmetric economic activities and national security in Asia. These studies may seem to belong to different fields, but they are all connected and interact with one another in the past, present, and future. My research efforts are directed toward solving the “puzzle” of how these different pieces fit together. At the same time, I actively share “solutions” with a wide audience not only through academic presentations but also through articles and interviews in various media as well as lectures at public and private organizations.