Asian countries, having reached the middle-income level by means of an
export orientation supported by low-cost labor, are seeking new paths to
growth. These countries face the “middle-income trap,” a stalling of economic growth
before they succeed in becoming advanced countries. How can Asia’s middle-income
countries avoid or overcome this trap? This edition of NIRA Policy Review argues
that autonomous innovation is essential to the realization of sustainable growth by
Asian countries, that efforts towards research and development, the fostering of
human resources, and the provision of infrastructure will be necessary in order to
promote innovation on the part of each of the countries of the region, and that
Japan can contribute to this process in a variety of ways.