UMEZAKI So

UMEZAKI So

UMEZAKI So
[Belonging・Position] Economic Integration Studies Group, Development Studies Center ・Director
[Research Field] ASEAN, economic integration, transportation, logistics
[email] So_Umezaki E-mail
Profile Information (Research history, education, papers & publications)

Previous research

After joining the IDE in 1995, I participated in the macroeconomic forecasting project having charge of China and Hong Kong. After the Asian currency crisis, I conducted a series of macroeconomic analyses of Malaysia and Indonesia, which were substantially affected by the crisis. This experience deepened my interest in ASEAN, which is composed of diverse countries. Then I joined a project to establish the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) from its preparation phase and conducted research on the economic integration in ASEAN and neighboring countries. When I was seconded to ERIA (2008-2011), I was assigend to manage a project on transportation-sector cooperation in ASEAN. Since nthen, I have conducted research focusing on transportation sector cooperation and the role of transportation networks.

Current research projects

I am conducting two studies on the structure and role of transportation networks, using Lloyd’s list (maritime transportation) and OAG database (air transportation). One study ingestigates whether and how logistic connectivity through transportation networks affect participation in global value chains and industrial development. The other study investigates global maritime and air transportation networks, which shrank unevenly due to the COVID-19 pandemic but have subsequently been recovering, and examines the hypothesis that structural changes are taking place in the functions of ports and airports in various countries.