ISIS Books Published from 1996-1999

 


TAMING TURMOIL IN THE PACIFIC (12TH APR)
Edited by Mohamed Jawhar Hassan & Mely C Anthony
1999 441 pp RM 75.00 ISBN 967947-243-4

The 12th Asia Pacific Roundtable was held exactly a year after the economic crisis first hit the region. Papers presented at the roundtable included in-depth analyses of the economic and social impacts of the economic crisis in Asia and discussions on the task of restoring Asia’s dynamism. Complementing these issues were papers discussing good governance, and domestic and regional stability as the agenda for the future. Other topics covered included: containing transnational crime, the environmental hazard posed by haze, peace prospects in the Korean Peninsula and the strengthened NPT Review Process.

JAPAN AND ASIA IN AN ERA OF ECONOMIC INTERDEPENDENCE
Edited by Kazue Sugiyama & Stephen Leong
1998 115 pp RM 15.00 ISBN 967-947-239-5

At the time of the Fourth Annual Conference on Japan (ACJ IV) held on Aug 1-2, 1998, Japan’s economy was seeing signs of recovery while the rest of Asia was enjoying unprecedented dynamic growth. As the economies in Asia had gained more competence and vigour in the course of rapid economic development, their relationship with Japan was becoming increasingly interdependent. This book is a compilation of papers presented at the AJV IV.

JAPANESE OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA: SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MALAYSIA
By Junichi Yamada
1998 149 pp RM 30.00 ISBN 967947-233-7

This is a highly informative study on the role of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Southeast Asia. It assesses the impact of Japan’s ODA on the economic development of Southeast Asian countries. An in-depth analysis is given on its contribution to Malaysia’s development, particularly in the power sector and human resource development. Problems associated with the current ODA scheme are also identified and examined.

A PACIFIC PEACE: ISSUES AND RESPONSE (11TH APR)
Edited by Mohamed Jawhar Hassan
1998 568 pp RM 65.00 ISBN 967947-232-9

The 11th Asia Pacific Roundtable took place at a time when the region was witnessing several events of significance to regional security. China saw a relatively uneventful change of leadership after the demise of Deng Xiaoping, Hong Kong was to revert to Chinese rule after more than 100 years of British rule and in Southeast Asia there was the prospect of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar joining Asean. The repercussions of these events on regional security dominated discussions at the Conference. Notably, there was a separate session on Hong Kong, China and another on the challenges and implications of an enlarged Asean. This book contains selected papers from those presented at the Conference

ASIA IN THE PACIFIC RIM: TOWARDS THE 21st CENTURY
By Minoru Makihara
1998 15 pp RM5.00 ISBN 967947-235-3

The Lecture covers various issues pertaining to the dawn of the Pacific Century, including those facing the developing Asian economies. Also examined are Japan’s position and responsibility in the region, the impact of Japan–US relations and the role of regional and multilateral fora in Asia.

JAPAN-MALAYSIA RELATIONS AT THE CROSSROADS
By Taizo Nakamura
1998 7 pp RM 5.00 ISBN 967947-236-1

The Lecture highlights the need to re-assess Japan-Malaysia relations in light of the rapid changes that have taken place in both countries and in the surrounding environment. Both sides are encouraged to look for new avenues for co-operation. Japan is also urged to play a more active role in the region.

EAST ASIAN ECONOMIES: SUSTAINING GROWTH AND STABILITY
Edited by Hong Ong Chong
1997 149 pp RM 25.00 ISBN 967947-229-9

This book contains papers presented at the JIIA-ISIS Malaysia Symposium on East Asia Economies, with the theme ‘Sustaining Growth and Stability’. Participants from 13 East Asian countries exchanged views on major regional concerns and discussed new forward-looking strategies to sustain growth. Topics covered include deepening economic linkages in trade, foreign direct investment and labour, management of currency fluctuations and stabilisation of capital flow, the impact of human resource development on sustained growth in East Asia and reconciling environment with sustainable development.

REVITALISATION OF JAPAN’S ECONOMY: IMPLICATIONS FOR MALAYSIA
Edited by Kazue Sugiyama & Stephen Leong
1997 89 pp RM 15.00 ISBN 967947-230-2

This book is a compilation of papers presented at the Third Annual Conference on Japan. It focuses on three main themes of the Conference: 1) examining Japan’s effort in revitalising its economy; ii) assessing the possible impact of Japan’s economic transformation on Malaysian economy; and iii) learning from Japan’s shortcomings and mistakes so as to identify pitfalls to be avoided by Malaysia. Among the topics covered are the diagnosis and prognosis of Japan’s economy, an analysis of Japan’s foreign direct investments in Malaysia in the 90s and the implication of Japanese companies’ restructuring for small and medium-sized enterprises.

BRINGING PEACE TO THE PACIFIC (10TH APR)
Edited by Mohamed Jawhar Hassan & Sheikh Ahmad Raffie
1997 697 pp RM 40.00 ISBN 967947-226- 4

The Tenth Asia Pacific Roundtable marked the tenth anniversary of the launching of the Roundtable series. It was significant for the strong and active Chinese participation at the meeting following their absence two years earlier. Also notable was a session on the proposed norms and principles from security co-operation among states in the region, which was especially timely given the formation of Asean Regional Forum and the absence of normative instruments such as the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asia for the larger Asia Pacific region. Selected papers from the roundtable are compiled in this book.

TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION AND JAPAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY
By Richard Samuels
1997 12 pp RM 5.00 ISBN 967947-234-5

This lecture by Prof. Richard Samuels focuses on the relationship between technology and national security in Japan. According to the speaker, Japan provides lessons on how to obtain both national security and prosperity for a nation as well as lessons on instituting a national system of innovation. As Japan believes that control of technology is a matter of national security, it is important to understand the policy implications on Japan–US and Japan–Asia relations.

ASEAN, APEC AND ASEM: CONCENTRIC CIRCLES AND ‘OPEN CLUBS’
By Andrew Elak & Hadi Soesastro
1997 25 pp RM 3.50 ISBN – 967947-231-0

This paper analyses the principles for liberalising and facilitating investment in Apec set out in the 1995 Osaka Action Agenda. It also analyses the need for further refining these principles. It proposes a concise set of guiding principles which build on those agreed in Osaka and generalise the fundamental GATT/WTO principles of transparency, non-discrimination and national treatment. The authors believe the principles proposed in the paper for co-operative arrangement for economic links involving Asean and non-Asean economies.’

CONCEPTUALISING ASIA PACIFIC
Edited by Mohamed Jawhar & Thangam Ramnath
1996 92 pp RM 15.00 ISBN 967947-225-6

This book is a compilation of papers presented at the 2nd Meeting of the Cscap Working Group on the Concepts of Comprehensive and Co-operative Security. It was generally agreed that this meeting advanced the discussion on the meaning of comprehensive and co-operative security, the outlines of an organising concept for management of security in the Asia Pacific region and the institutional arrangements for implementing comprehensive security in the region. The application and practice of comprehensive security in selected security contexts, namely migration, ethnic conflicts and territorial disputes in the South China Sea were also examined.

MANAGING SECURITY AND PEACE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC (9TH APR)
Edited by Thangam Ramnath
1996 594 pp RM 38.00 ISBN 967947- 218-3

The Ninth Asia Pacific Roundtable focused heavily on non-conventional challenges to security. The role of the media in the making of peace and conflict and its impact on interstate relations came under close scrutiny. Besides the usual conventional and non-conventional security issues, other topics discussed included the security and political implications of mega trends in Asia, multilateralism and sub regionalism, and the Cscap Working Group Reports on comprehensive security building measures in Asia Pacific, and security co-operation in the North Pacific.

JAPAN AND EAST ASIA
By Shinichi Nishio, Kazuo Nukazawa, Katsuhiro Utada & Yuji Auzuki
1996 26 pp RM 5.00 ISBN 967947-217-5

This special issue is a compilation of speeches given by four guest speakers in Kuala Lumpur as part of the `Forum for Promoting Dialogue Between Malaysia and Japan.’ The speeches cover issues pertaining to Japan–Asia relations, more specifically on Japan ‘s economic activities in Asian countries. Japan’s role in Asean‘s economic development was also discussed.

EAEC: Fact and Fiction
21 pp (1996)
By Noordin Sopiee
1996 21 pp RM 2.50 ISBN – 967947- 213-2

Calling the East Asia Economic Co-operation (EAEC) one of the most deliberately misrepresented and misunderstood ideas since World War II, the writer hopes to set the record straight on the EAEC. He quotes extensively from speeches of the proponent of the EAEC, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who had exhorted Japan to join the grouping as a partner and leader because Japan is the only developed country in East Asia and the only Asian country with the ability to help its fellow Asian countries. He quotes statesmen who think the EAEC is natural, destined and inevitable and then goes on to defend the concept against a list of criticisms.

GROWTH TRIANGLES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: Strategy for Development
Edited by Imran Lim Noordin Sopiee
1996 273 pp RM 28.00/US$14.00 ISBN – 967947- 201-9

The focus of the Fourth Southeast Asia Roundtable on Economic Development (RED 4) was growth triangles in Southeast Asia as a strategy for development. This current issue has attracted much interest in the region, especially among regional governments, policy makers, academics and private sector interests. It was felt that growth triangles could spur faster economic growth while simultaneously helping to create ‘borderless economies’ and promote closer regional co-operation. RED 4 was organised to look into these possibilities and to provide a forum to discuss issues on economic growth and regional co-operation, especially in areas of trade, investments, joint exploitation of resources and the service sector and mutual co-operation towards sustainable economic growth for Southeast Asia. From the RED 4 discussions, it is apparent that the idea of growth triangles has already acquired regional acceptability. It was the unanimous consensus that regional governments should support this concept and exploit its potential through greater commitment.

THE FUTURE OF ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AFTER THE OSAKA MEETING

By Noboru Hatakeyama
1996 12 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-223-X

The Osaka Apec Meeting was a success in that it would result in Apec countries harmonising tariff nomenclature by 1996. Japan and China will reduce tariffs on hundreds of items. Also, investment in the energy sectors of Apec countries will be facilitated further. The remaining issues are that of the definition of liberalisation of trade and investment and of nondiscrimination in granting most favoured nation status to other countries as a result of trade and investment liberalisation.
The writer also briefly describes the characteristics of the Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Area or the Trans-Atlantic Market that was agreed to in December 1995. Finally, he makes out a strong case for the Asia-Pacific-Europe Economic Co-operation by listing the many advantages that this consultation mechanism would hold for Apec countries.

APEC AFTER OSAKA
By Hadi Soesastro
1996 12 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-218-3

Dr Hadi believes that it will be a combination of Apec members’ individual action plans (IAPS) and their collective action plans (CAPS) that will characterise the Apec process after the Osaka Summit. Apec post-Osaka will have to be able to demonstrate that ‘Apec methodology now known as “concerted unilateralism,” driven by collective peer pressure of action plans implemented by each economy at its own pace, works. The writer feels the implementation of the Osaka Action Agenda should always be viewed in the broadest context of Apec’s development, which emphasises, among other things, the importance of co-operation among regional countries in such areas as population, food, resources, energy and the environment. The task ahead for Apec is to translate these challenges into a balanced agenda. He goes on to discuss the two pillars of the Osaka Action Agenda: trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation; and economic and technical cooperation, also known as development co-operation.

THE REVOLUTION IN EAST ASIA
By Noordin Sopiee
1996 17 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-221-3

The writer describes three basic dimensions to a quiet cumulative revolution that has been taking place in East Asia, which may have equally, if not more, profound consequences for the world as the revolution in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The basic dimensions of the East Asian Revolution are: the economic revolution; the political revolution; and the psychological-cultural revolution. Under the economic revolution. he discusses the dynamism revolution which saw almost every economy in East Asia making dramatic strides to become dynamic economies; the size revolution which saw East Asia becoming an economic giant in the 1990s; and the integration revolution, which sees East Asia as the fastest integrating region in the world in terms of trade and investment. Under the political revolution, he discusses the peace revolution, the human rights revolution, and the democracy revolution. And under the psychological revolution, he discusses the regional consciousness revolution, the confidence revolution and the self-worth/assertiveness revolution.

PROSPECTS FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION AFTER THE OSAKA SUMMIT
By Noordin Sopiee
1996 8 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-222-1
The writer believes that as a result of the remarkable results achieved at the Osaka Apec Summit, the future of regional co-operation in the Asia-Pacific will be promising. The Summit:

  • Established a pace-setting style of democratic leadership and consensus-building
  • Was able to counter the wrong turn taken during the Seattle Summit in 1993
  • Invented and institutionalised the “concerted unilateral approach,” whereby each Apec member will voluntarily submit its own plan for full liberalisation by a targeted period
  • Produced in ten Asian economies a much greater sense of confidence and comfort about the entire Apec process
  • Restored to Apec a badly-needed sense of realism
  • Resulted in concrete and specific steps which are not to be easily dismissed

PEACEKEEPING EXPERIENCE: Papua New Guinea
By Dennis Renton
1996 6 pp RM2.50/US$2.50 ISBN 967-947-217-5

The South Pacific Regional Peacekeeping Force (SPRPKF) was put together and financed by the Papua New Guinea Government to provide security for the Bougainville Peace Conference in October 1994. Direct Papua New Guinean experience of international peacekeeping is thus confined to the role of inviting, arranging and hosting the SPRPF. Though the force was called in to assist in the resolution of an internal crisis, some general lessons can be drawn from this experience, as this paper outlines.

EAST ASIA TOWARDS THE YEAR 2000:WHAT THE REGION SHOULD, CAN AND WILL DO
By Ezra Vogel and Ichiro Uchida
1996 21 pp RM5.00/US$2.50 ISBN 967-947-217-5

What is happening in East Asia and will happen to it in the future are the issues being explored by two Asian experts in this CJS Lecture Series booklet. Prof. Ezra Vogel, who has studied and witnessed first hand the changes in East Asia from the 1950s, focused his discussion on China and Southeast Asia, as well as the role of big powers (the United States and Russia) in the region. He traced the changes that are taking place in China and Southeast Asia, examining the progress and developments as well as problems in these countries. Uchida concentrated on the role of Japan in East Asia — past, present and future – and presented an overview on the rapidly changing political scenes in Japan.

SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES IN JAPAN: CASE STUDY OF SATO CORPORATION
By Norma Mansor
1996 41 pp RM10.00/US$5.00 ISBN 967-947-212-4

This Japan Research Series study examines some of the salient features behind the success of a Japanese family-owned business, Sato Corporation, a small and medium sized corporation (SMC) under the legal Japanese definition. As background, the history of the Japanese economy is discussed briefly, highlighting some of the Japanese policies and government support in rebuilding the economy after WWII and the indirect assistance to the growth of the SMCs. Lessons can be learned from the Japanese experience because SMCs, as vibrant entities that add value, depth and resilience to an economy, play an important role in Malaysia’s effort towards becoming an industrialised nation by the year 2020.

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