Saito Renho on Japanese economic growth, ‘Abenomics’, redistribution, and future innovation in Japan

Abstract

March 2022. Harvard Kennedy School fellow Richard Yarrow and Harvard students Tasuku Ono and Candice Yang recently interviewed Saito Renho, a longtime leader in Japan’s opposition Constitutional Democratic Party. Renho, who is popularly known by her given name, first entered Japan’s national legislature in 2004 and served as president of the Democratic Party of Japan from 2016 to 2017. Here we present the parts of the discussion in which they focus on issues of Japanese economic growth and reform, the effects of ‘Abenomics’, redistribution, East Asian demographics, as well as technology, research and facilitating future innovation in Japan.