The 8th World KLEMS Conference will be held on March 27–28, 2025 in Tokyo. The World KLEMS project was started in 2010 by the late Dale Jorgenson of Harvard University. By 2024, seven World KLEMS conferences had been held, providing a platform for participants to explore a range of productivity-related issues. These conferences have played a significant role in developing industry-level productivity database and shaping policies aimed at enhancing productivity.
This marks the second time the World KLEMS Conference will be held in Tokyo, with the first taking place in 2014. This conference is organized by Gakushuin University, Hitotsubashi University, and the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). Financial support is provided by the Japan Productivity Center and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Grant Nos. 22KK0021 and 23K01381).
Recent productivity research exhibits several key trends. First, productivity databases have been developed not only for advanced economies but also for developing countries, reflecting growing interest in productivity issues from scholars and policymakers worldwide. For example, boosting productivity has been a central focus of the Japanese government’s economic policies since the 2010s.
Second, the range of factors driving productivity growth is expanding. Research on topics such as the effects of intangibles, digitalization, and AI on productivity growth has gained momentum. In response to these developments, the conference sessions will explore not only country-level KLEMS databases but also critical drivers of productivity growth, including intangibles, supply chains, and AI.
The conference program will feature 17 sessions, along with a keynote address by Professor Bart van Ark of Manchester University and a panel discussion on “Global Supply Chains and Productivity.” The panel will feature prominent experts such as Professor Kyoji Fukao (RIETI and Hitotsubashi University), Professor Richard Baldwin (IMD Business School), Professor Shujiro Urata (RIETI, ERIA, and Waseda University), and Professor David Weinstein (Columbia University). Professor Tomohiko Inui (Gakushuin University) will serve as moderator for the event.
In addition, the IARIW-Hitotsubashi University Special Conference on “Population Ageing: Implications for Economic Measurement and Performance” (https://www.sds.hit-u.ac.jp/2324/) will take place at the International House of Japan on March 24–25,2025. This conference will focus on issues related to population aging. Attendees interested in this topic are encouraged to participate.
A mini excursion is planned for March 26, offering attendees a chance to enjoy Japan’s beautiful spring scenery, such as temples adorned with cherry blossoms.
