2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Special Lecture: Japan's economy, from the point of view of data and various topics
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroichi Yanase / Takefumi Kurashina / Takumi Anzai / Takashi Ueda / Keisuke Kubota / Tetsuya Saito / Yo Tanaka / Shingo Tamari / Kazuaki Fujita / Hirofumi Matsuo / Masanori Murui / Akira Yamaguchi / Futoshi Oguri / Keiko Shimizu / Kunio Saijo / Shintaro Ikeuchi
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.S215
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The objective of this course is to start students thinking about issues relating to the Japanese economy and its historical progression. Through study and experiment at the university, students will deepen their awareness of societal needs and the types of solutions to issues that are beneficial.
In the themed lectures, students will carefully read and analyze articles with an experienced working journalist and broaden their understanding of the economy and industry. Using data and articles from media outlets such as The Nikkei as course materials, students will learn reading techniques useful for basic information gathering.
The objective of this course is to start students thinking about issues relating to the Japanese economy and its historical progression. Through study and experiment at the university, students will deepen their awareness of societal needs and the types of solutions to issues that are beneficial.
In the themed lectures, students will carefully read and analyze articles with an experienced working journalist and broaden their understanding of the economy and industry. Using data and articles from media outlets such as The Nikkei as course materials, students will learn reading techniques useful for basic information gathering.
Course description and aims
Students will learn to understand the fundamental economic news disseminated via news media, to drill down into themes of interest to them, and to develop critical thinking skills and judgment.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
An instructor with work experience in news coverage and print journalism will provide on-the-job style education in the fundamentals of the Japanese economy.
Keywords
Economic growth, Industry, Personal consumption, Digital, SDGs
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Each session will study a topic related to the economy and industry. In addition to the instructor's commentary, students are encouraged to express their thoughts and interests as appropriate. We would like to emphasize the importance of accumulating daily exposure to the news.
Each class will be conducted face-to-face. Attendance will be confirmed each time via Google Forms. In addition, you will be asked to submit a class report with your "student ID number, affiliation system, and name" via T2SCHOLA after the class. That will be your attendance and evaluation points. Also, please submit the report by the last class.
Course schedule/Objectives
Course schedule | Objectives | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Why study the economy? | The significance study of the economy and its influence on employment and daily life. |
Class 2 | How science journalists inform us. | The role of journalism explained through the experiences of a science reporter. |
Class 3 | What is economic growth? | Reflections on Japan and its journey through postwar reconstruction, the economic miracle, the oil crisis and collapse of the bubble economy. |
Class 4 | Money drives the economy. | The role of money in corporate activity and daily life. |
Class 5 | Stock price – the expected value of an enterprise. | Fundamentals of the financial statement – the stock price and management report card. |
Class 6 | Consumption is a moving thing. | Trends in consumer spending - the engine of economic growth. |
Class 7 | Will the country go bankrupt? | How the budget works and the deficit problem. |
Class 8 | Can the pension system survive? | Fundamentals of the pension system and issues relating to the aging society. |
Class 9 | Industrial evolution. | Transitions in technological innovation and the corporate pillars of Japan's manufacturing culture. |
Class 10 | The rise of the digital economy. | Economic trends arising from advances in digital technology and the rise of GAFA. |
Class 11 | An image of our energy future. | The role, transitions and future issues for energy - a pillar of economic activity |
Class 12 | Corporate Human Resource Development. | Learn about human resource development in the company. |
Class 13 | The rise and fall of Japanese corporations. | Companies and leaders in the automobile and electrical equipment sectors – the drivers of the Japanese economy. |
Class 14 | Consideration from the news coverage site - One year after the Seibu Railway Incident. | Learn about the investigative reporting of the Seibu Railway incident. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None
Reference books, course materials, etc.
The Nikkei newspaper morning edition for that day will be distributed at lectures for reading and discussion.
Evaluation methods and criteria
The principle focus will be on descriptions of a student's thoughts and observations in the course of attending lectures. Student feedback reports will account for 40% of the grade and the final end-of-course report will account for 60% of the grade.
Related courses
- LAH.S112 : Media Studies A
- LAH.S213 : Media Studies B
- LAH.S312 : Media Studies C
- LAH.S431 : Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences35:Media Studies
Prerequisites
None