The project on “Industrial Restructuring and Adjustment for Japan-ASEAN Investment and Trade Expansion”, based on the results of studies conducted by the Japanese and the ASEAN country research teams, is a co-operative effort to map out issues, constraints, possibilities, and policies pertaining to industrial restructuring in Japan and the respective ASEAN countries. Like the preceding two projects in the ASEAN Regional Studies Promotion Programme (ARSPP), it is a co-ordinated effort involving researchers and officials from both ASEAN and Japan, and is an integral part of government efforts on both sides to strengthen economic co-operation.

The basic objectives of the project are to promote sustained growth, employment expansion, and national well-being in the ASEAN countries. The operational objectives are to analyse the process of industrial restructuring and adjustment with a view to suggesting measures at national, bilateral, and multilateral levels to enhance the process of industrial development in ASEAN, and to strengthen economic relations between ASEAN and Japan. More specifically, this study attempts to identify policies, measures, and schemes that would facilitate the relocation of certain industries from Japan to ASEAN.

It should, however, be noted that there are great diversities among ASEAN countries with regard to physical area, population size, objectives, and interests. These national economies are also at varying stages of economic development based on distinct growth strategies. In addition, the respective country teams use different research methodologies and emphasize separate aspects of the topic. As such, there are areas where comparison and treatment of these countries as a bloc proved difficult. Where such gaps exist, these are filled by supplementary material extracted from other sources such as those noted in the references.

The contents of this volume are divided into two independent parts. Part I, the ASEAN overview, begins with a review of the changing economic structures of ASEAN countries in both a historical and world context. The first chapter therefore sets the backdrop for analysing industrial changes and restructuring efforts in the chapters that follow. The second chapter attempts to identify both declining and growing industries and the impact of industrial changes on the community and private firms.