Name: Katsumi Hirano
Career: Economist, Researcher
Educational level: PhD
Books: He authored more than twenty books including the English ones like Japan and South Africa in the Globalizing World.
Awards: Ono Azusa Memorial Award, Okita Saburo Memorial Prize.
Position: Executive vice-President, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
Dr. Katsumi Hirano has been engaged in African Studies and Development for more than 30 years. He earned MA in economics from Waseda University, PhD in Global Studies from Doshisha University. He has been engaged in African affairs for several years. He worked in many African countries as a chief researcher on African issues. In addition, he is among the scholars who work to change the world positively. He has been working in several Japanese embassies in Africa.
The Ethiopian Herald had a time of while with Dr. Katsumi Hirano.
The Ethiopian Herald: What was Japan’s area of focus in accelerating its development?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: My answer is every sector. As a sort of decision making, the Japanese economists believe that development should be promoted by the private sector. We run our economy as per the market system. Each company’s or CEO’s mission was to bolster the private sector. We have no intension of exercising authority in decision making. From the general view of the situation of the Japanese economy and society pertaining to historical relation with Africa, my anticipation is one pillar is needed to strengthen the relation. We are the frontrunners from Asian countries.
We established different industries and launched social services. Those kinds of industries and social services should have a more market base. I think Africa has the willingness to work with Japan. The infrastructures in Africa are largely owned by the government. But Japan private sectors play a great role. If any African country is interested Japan’s technology, we are interested to lend a helping hand.
My personal interest is agriculture. I have made several presentations on agricultural and industrial developments. We aim at laying the most agricultural base in Japan. For that purpose the new generation, who has interest to engage in this action of the government, will help. It needs Africans and Japanese agreement.
Herald: How did Japan blend its traditional knowledge with a modern way of life?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: One distinct characteristic of the modern Japan society and also Japan’s industrial revolution, which kicked off in 19th century, is being translated.
Famed poems of the world are translated into Japanese. Even the music patterns and other literary things were translated into Japanese language in order they get acceptance and bear fruit in shaping society’s mindset.
As such, one has easy access to French, Greece, or 16th century UK, ancient Chinese translated books. Also, other histories of civilizations were translated into Japanese language. That is one of the typical way of accessing foreign cultures. Everything, which seems to be helpful for our culture is translated into Japanese language to be easily understood by the ordinary people.
That is one of the very unique characteristics of the Japanese culture.
From the very outset, the Japanese culture was initiated by translation. Accordingly, some of our cultural norms were translated from the great Chinese and Koreans culture. That is one of the very tradition patterns to the Japanese.
Not only the literature, everything, the mathematics and physics formulas were translated in Japanese language. In some African countries and others everything is mostly found in English. A nation is expected to translate things into nation’s working language, which citizens could easily understand. Everything was Japanized. That is the how we blend our tradition with the modern knowledge.
Herald: How do you get the infrastructural development in Africa? How do you see the transfer of IT technology and the role Japan plays in this regard?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: Infrastructural development is the most important thing. Especially, for the government, it is key to spur its growth. More important is the revenue capacity.
It better leans on domestically generated revenues. But if it simply secures loan from foreign sources, the government could fall prey to debt traps. The policy will lose its sustainability. That is the most important point but a lot of people saying about this. For example, Africa needs huge financial requirement to expand infrastructural facilities. But it should prioritize things. It must focus on what is important at a given juncture. For instance, when we take our children to a restaurant, if they want every food on the menu we will face financial challenge not to mention the impossibility of consuming all things to be served.
The policies need to take into account the policy targets and the policy resources. Africans need to make a balance on revenue and which infrastructure must be built by now. It needs careful selection.
Pertaining to IT, in Japan we have Toyota, which is in a leading position in terms of highbred cars designed to utilize energy and electricity. Toyota is one of the oldest companies in the world. It cooperates with Chinese contemporary companies. That is the reality of the main streams in the Japan’s IT.
Japanese companies seem to lack access to come to Africa. The IT business is not our direct business. It is the business of another ministry. Our institute especially the academicians in the ministry of science and technology aim to transfer such technology.
Herald: How could African countries’ debt burden impact their economy?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: The huge amount of the debt was cancelled in the 1990th the 70% was from Japan. I don’t want that thing to happen again. The debt of some African countries by now is getting bigger. Africans should work on how to get out of it.
Herald: From your rich experience and studies you made during your career in Africa what are the main challenges besetting African Economy?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: Agriculture. It is definitely the main challenge for African countries. Everybody could benefit from the agricultural modernity. If we look at the history of some developed countries it was initiated in countries like UK. It then rippled across US and Germany and Japan after the Second World War including China.
Every developed country has the experience of modern agricultural development especially in food production. Modernizing the agricultural development is the base for industrial development. Sometimes, I do not understand why leaders of African countries leave the rural areas as the days of yore.
In Asia, giving focus to the rural community is the first priority. If the rural community does not get satisfied by government’s action regarding agriculture and shows not cooperation, things might trigger danger. The Chinese, Japanese and Korean governments always give priority to the rural community. In the Chinese’ Communist Party National Conference, the first topic is agriculture. So, Africans should give priority to the agricultural sector.
Herald: What is your take on TICAD’s contribution in alleviating African’s problem?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) is the largest international conference held in Japan. Led by the Japanese government, TICAD is co-sponsored by the United Nations (UN), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Bank.
As Africa experiences a dynamic growth, Yokohama is sharing its experience and technologies for the high-quality urban development efforts as well as strengthening the formation of human resources. TICAD also aims at developing the economy through changing the life of people to the better. It supports economic development and poverty reduction projects in Africa.
TICAD renders a mutual benefit for Africa and Japan. TICAD must benefit the Japanese companies and Africans as well. TICAD wants to collaborate with the African and Japanese to find a better market place.
African companies have a very low access to developed countries out of the continent. TICAD could benefit these companies by collaborating with them.
Herald: Which one does Africans need most financial assistance or intellectual support?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: I think both. Intellectuals without money could come up with nothing. For example, institutions and researches need financial assistance. That could serve a motivational factor for the leaders to sustain cultural and diplomatic relations. So, there should be both financial and intellectual support.
Herald: How could Africa tackle the challenges being posed by unemployment?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: Again I want to stress the agricultural sector. In the case of Ethiopia, 85% of the total labor leans on agriculture. In sub-Saharan Africa, 65% goes to agricultural sector and rural community. So, the main unemployment curbing strategy is agriculture. The IT advancement cannot provide employment for the rural sector. Employment is one silver bullet to troubleshoot social stability. From that point of view, the rural sector must come as a priority.
If we look at the history of the modern China, China’s development was started in the rural community. You can find the same history in Japan and Korea. So, it must start form the major segment of the community.
Herald: The geopolitics as a backdrop, how do you asses the economic potential and challenges in the horn?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: I very much appreciate the Abiy’s administration in the region. The peaceful setup he made in the area is very appreciable. Red sea is the mainstream of the global transportation. It is the area of the international trade movement.
Historically, controlling the area is the source of wealth for many countries. The surrounding countries should get involved and collaborate.
Herald: Japanese are strict about corruption what lesson could Africa draw from this?
Dr. Katsumi Hirano: Corruption makes a country pay a huge cost. It is detrimental to the economic growth. So, the first point is especially leaders and higher officials must be standard-bearers in rejecting this social malice. The public servants must serve the public. They do not have to involve themselves in uncouth things.
Corruption is very scary for the international community. We still have bad images about South Africa and Democratic Republic Congo. It is selling the nation and its people. Investors do not want to invest in a country whose image is tarnished by corruption. It kills the development of a nation. Of course, to some level every country is affected by corruption. But corruption is an act of killing a nation.
The Ethiopian Herald July 7/2019
BY AMBO MEKASA
