This book is especially valuable for its policy evaluation studies using both a theoretical model for policies carried out at national and regional levels and for gathering policy evaluation studies in diverse disciplines by empirical study.

Policy analysis shown here employs theoretical models such as an international trade model, an optimal tariff, and spatial reorganization. At the same time, factors in well-being are taken into consideration with land development, changes in migration and local economies by natural disasters, validation of efficiency for emission control methods, the relationship between cyberspace and physical space in urban networks, and NPOs' investment activities.

The empirical research reported in this volume analyzes Japan, China, and Asian-Pacific cities. In the case of Japan, studies focus on the finances of local governments, the real estate industry, the role of consumer cooperatives in a food system, and agriculture and its productivity in hilly and mountainous areas. As well, the effects of industrial clusters in megacities and investment in high-speed railways and prediction of human behavior during an earthquake are studied. In China's case, studies focus on food policy and the effect of ecology and environment on migration policy. For Asia-Pacific cities, studies show performance rankings of "super cities" in the region.

The book defines the frontier of policy evaluation following a middle path between theoretical study and empirical study with regard to evaluation. In addition, the book contributes to an understanding of the relationship between the goals and targets of sustainable development. This book is highly recommended for graduate students, policymakers, and researchers concerned with policy evaluation.

Autorentext

Yoshiro Higano is Emeritus Professor in the University of Tsukuba in Tsukuba Science City, Japan. He has and continues to conduct research on a variety of topics in regional science and he presently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science.

Professor Lily Kiminami obtained Bachelor of Economics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (P.R. China), Master of Science in Agriculture from Mie University (Japan) and Doctor of Science in Agriculture from The University of Tokyo (Japan). Since 2008, she has become a full professor of Institute of Science and Technology, Niigata University (Japan).

Kenichi Ishibashi is a Professor, Faculty of Policy Studies, Aichi Gakuin University, Aichi, Japan. He obtained a Bachelor of Economics, Master of Economics from Fukuoka University, Japan and Doctor of Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan.

Inhalt

Table of Contents

Preface

Section 1:

Chapter 1 Trade, capital accumulation, and wage differentials: A dynamic model of the comparative advantage theory.- Chapter 2 Ex-post Risk Management of Environmental Contamination of Municipal Water.- Chapter 3 Endogenizing the Reservation Value in Models of Land Development over Time and Under Uncertainty Revisited.- Chapter 4 Illegal Dumping of Industrial Garbage and an Optimal Tax System.- Chapter 5 Natural Disasters, Disaster Recovery Policies, and Regional Economy.- Chapter 6 An investigation of hierarchical central place systems and optimal spatial structures for improving regional welfare.- Chapter 7 Agglomeration and dispersion mechanism of cities system with interior structure.- Chapter 8 Emission Standards versus Emission Taxes with Foreign Firms.- Chapter 9 Budget Deficits of the Central Government and the Decentralization of Local Governments

Section 2:

Chapter 10 Socio-Economic Factors Affecting the Innovativeness of Start-ups in Japan: Comparative Analysis between Social Enterprises and Commercial Enterprises.- Chapter 11 Multi-agent Simulation for Prediction of Human Behavior during a Hypothetical Earthquake.- Chapter 12 Dynamic Changes in Food Consumption in China: Focusing on the Rice Retail Market.- Chapter 13 Ecological migration policy and livestock farm management.- Chapter 14 Assessment of Policies on Environmental Impacts of Socioeconomic Activities: A Case Study of Kasumigaura Basin, Japan.- Chapter 15 Industrial Agglomeration Due to High-Speed Railway Investment: A Monopolistic Competition Model Impact Assessment.- Chapter 16 Performance Rankings of Asia-Pacific Super Cities by means of Data Envelopment Analysis.- Chapter 17 Econometric Analysis of Economic Growth and Internal Population Migration Based on Three Regions of China.- Chapter 18 Output and Profit Effects of Backward Integration through Joint Projects: A Successive Cournot Oligopoly Model of the Real Estate Industry.- Chapter 19 Analysis of Regional Agricultural Productivity Growth Using the Malmquist Productivity Index: The Case of Chugoku, Japan

Section 1: Chapter 1. Trade, Capital Accumulation, and Wage Differentials: A Dynamic Model of the Comparative Advantage Theory.- Chapter 2. Ex-post Risk Management of Environmental Contamination of Municipal Water.- Chapter 3. Endogenizing the Reservation Value in Models of Land Development over Time and Under Uncertainty Revisited.- Chapter 4. Illegal Dumping of Industrial Garbage and an Optimal Tax System.- Chapter 5. Natural Disasters, Disaster Recovery Policies, and Regional Economy.- Chapter 6. An Investigation of Hierarchical Central Place Systems and Optimal Spatial Structures for Improving Regional Welfare.- Chapter 7. Agglomeration and Dispersion Mechanism of Cities System with Interior Structure.- Chapter 8. Emission Standards versus Emission Taxes with Foreign Firms.- Chapter 9. Budget Deficits of the Central Government and the Decentralization of Local Governments.- Section 2: Chapter 10. Socio-Economic Factors Affecting the Innovativeness of Start-ups in Japan: Comparative Analysis between Social Enterprises and Commercial Enterprises.- Chapter 11. Multi-agent Simulation for Prediction of Human Behavior during a Hypothetical Earthquake.- Chapter 12. Dynamic Changes in Food Consumption in China: Focusing on the Rice Retail Market.- Chapter 13. Ecological Migration Policy and Livestock Farm Management.- Chapter 14. Assessment of Policies on Environmental Impacts of Socioeconomic Activities: A Case Study of Kasumigaura Basin, Japan.- Chapter 15. Industrial Agglomeration Due to High-Speed Railway Investment: A Monopolistic Competition Model Impact Assessment.- Chapter 16. Performance Rankings of Asia-Pacific Super Cities by means of Data Envelopment Analysis.- Chapter 17. Econometric Analysis of Economic Growth and Internal Population Migration Based on Three Regions of China.- Chapter 18. Output and Profit Effects of Backward Integration through Joint Projects: A Successive Cournot Oligopoly Model of the Real Estate Industry.-Chapter 19. Analysis of Regional Agricultural Productivity Growth Using the Malmquist Productivity Index: The Case of Chugoku, Japan.