Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 12/2014

Implementing Structural Reforms in Abenomics: How to Reduce the Cost of Doing Business in Japan

Jamal Ibrahim Haidar, Takeo Hoshi

June 2014

Asia-Pacific Research Center

Abstract

Improving the environment for business is an important part of the growth strategy of Abenomics. As the KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for this effort, the Abe Administration aims to improve Japan’s rank in the World Bank Doing Business Ranking from the current #15 among high-income OECD countries to one of the top three. This paper clarifies what it takes for Japan to be among top three countries in terms of ease of doing business. By looking at details of the World Bank Doing Business ranking, we identify various reforms that Japan could implement to improve the ranking.