Japan’s dramatic transformation from economic success to economic stagnation offers important policy lessons to advanced countries everywhere that are struggling with stagnation. The term ‘Japanization’ is often used by economists to describe long-term stagnation and deflation. Symptoms include high unemployment, weak economic activity, interest rates near zero, quantitative easing, and population aging. In the global context, what can governments do to mitigate the downward trends experienced by Japan? This judiciously timed book investigates in depth the causes of Japan’s ‘lost decades’ versus the real recovery achieved by the United States, and the lessons that can be learned. This book helps to provide a basis for assessing a wide range of policy approaches from which policymakers and governments can choose to avoid economic decline. The expert contributions provide an overview of the pattern of ‘Japanization’ in a global economic perspective, analyze similarities and differences between the Korean and Japanese economies, and examine policy measures taken by Japan during the lost decades. From this analysis, the book proposes future policy solutions for countries experiencing ‘Japanization’. Economic stagnation and the relevant policy reactions have been of keen interest around the globe since the global financial crisis and this book will be an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, and economic commentators alike. ; Preface 1. Introduction and overview (Dongchul Cho, Takatoshi Ito and Andrew Mason) PART I AGING, INDUSTRY MATURATION AND JAPANIZATION 2. Japanization: Is it spreading to the rest of the world?(Takatoshi Ito) 3. GDP growth from the perspective of demographic change: Will aging Korea become another Japan?(Kyooho Kwon) 4. Export dynamics of Japan, Korea and China (Kyu-Chul Jung) PART II RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND TFP 5. Product market efficiencies and TFP: A comparative study of Japanese and Korean firms (Keiko Ito and YoungGak Kim) 6. Misallocation in the manufacturing sector of Korea: A ...