"An important and timely book, The Myanmar Economy: lts Past, Present and Prospects is the work of an impressive cohort of Japanese scholars bringing with them some truly excellent first-hand research. ... Timely, impeccably researched, and accessibly written, The Myanmar Economy is an excellent contribution to the scholarship on Myanmar, and a wonderful guide for present and future policymakers." (Sean Turnell, The Developing Economies, Vol. 55 (3), September, 2017) Translated from Japanese
"[Under these circumstances], it is deeply meaningful that this book has been published. The compilation of academic research on the Myanmar economy by Japanese academics has exceeded that by researchers based in Europe or the United States ever since Myanmar was under the military regime. Japan may be the only country in the world that can line up specialists in each field who are able to discuss professionally each discipline examined in this book (including economic history, macroeconomics, social capital, agriculture, the rural economy, industrialization, and the relation between Myanmar and China). Building on this tradition of research, the book has succeeded in putting into context the modern economy of Myanmar, considering its past environment including the period in which it was dominated by a military regime." (Yoshihiro Nakanishi, Keizai Kenkyu, Vol. 68 (3), 2017)
1 A New Light to Shine? Historical Legacies and Prospects for Myanmar’s Economy (Konosuke Odaka).- 2 Remnantsof the Colonial Period and Economic Policies of Post Independence : Through the Study of Hla Myint (Asuka Mizuno).- 3 Growth Structure and Macro-economy under Twenty Years of Junta Regime in Myanmar (Fumiharu Mineno and Koji Kubo).- 4 Physical Social Overhead Capital (SOC) (Konosuke Odaka).- 5 Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy in Myanmar: With a Focus on the Rice Sector(Koichi Fujita).- 6 Sustainable Farming Systems in Myanmar: the Implications of Findings from Field Surveys in the 2000s (Masahiko Matsuda).- 7 Post-colonial Industrialisation in Myanmar (Toshihiro Kudo and Konosuke Odaka).- 8 Economic Relations between Myanmar and China (Atsuko Mizuno).- 9 Summary and Conclusion ― Capitalistic Development a là Myanmar (Konosuke Odaka).
Konosuke Odaka is Professor Emeritus of Hitotsubashi University.
With motivated human resources and a rich natural bounty, Myanmar is expected to take off with sustained growth and eventually attain a unique welfare state. On the basis of the authors’ field surveys and innumerable dialogues with public officials, private professionals, scholars, and others, in addition to intensive desk studies since around 2000, the present volume lays out the essential ingredients for drawing a roadmap to realise the above-mentioned objective. That goal is, specifically, financial development, adequate social capital, indigenous modern manufactures, and closer international tie-ups, among others, but above all, sound agrarian development. An effort has been made to place the required ingredients in their historical contexts, as historical experiences constitute an important sociopolitical condition in which development takes place. Myanmar nationals and readers concerned with the country’s economic progress are encouraged to give serious, sustained thought to coming up with a socially supportable roadmap for the country's development path. The present volume provides valuable hints for that purpose.