The Impact of Production Fragmentation on Industry Skill Upgrading: New Evidence from Japanese Manufacturing

This paper examines the hypothesis that industries engaged in international fragmentation of production experience greater skill upgrading using a panel dataset of Japanese manufacturing over the period 1980-2000. The novelty of the study comes from the use of an index newly constructed using data on trade in parts and components to measure inter-industry variations in the degree of international vertical specialization (fragmentation intensity of trade). It also employs a methodology designed to embody peculiarities of Japan's fragmentation trade pattern. While the findings of existing studies are inconclusive, we find that the expansion of fragmentation trade with developing East Asian countries has had a significant impact on the skills composition of Japanese manufacturing employment. By contrast, trade with high income countries seems to have had a skill downgrading effect.International Fragmentation of Production, Skill Upgrading, Japanese Manufacturing

India: A New Player in Asian Production Networks?, Studies in Trade and Investment 75

Due to the fact that the IPN phenomenon has been driven by decisions of multi-national corporations (MNCs) regarding operations and locations of their production systems, chapter III provides an insightful background aimed at understanding the issues involved. It examines the operational characteristics of Japanese MNC affiliates in comparison to United States based MNCs, using affiliate-level data.production network, fragmentation of production, Asia, value chain, China, India, FDI, MNCs

Expansion Abroad and Jobs at Home - Evidence from Japanese Multinational Enterprises

This paper examines the exporting job hypothesis that expansion of overseas operations of manufacturing multinational enterprises (MNEs) reduces home employment using data for Japanese MNEs. While the existing studies are mainly based on the industry level data, this paper presents the evidence using a newly constructed firm-level panel data set over the period 1991-2002. The evidence does not support the widely-held view in Japanese policy circles that that overseas operations of MNEs expand at the cost of home employment. On the contrary, there is some evidence that overseas operations may have helped to maintain the level of home employment.Multinational Enterprises, FDI, labour demand, Globalisation

The Effects of Overseas Operations on Home Employment of Japanese Multinational Enterprises

This paper examines the hypothesis that expansion of overseas operations of Japanese manufacturing multinational enterprises (MNEs) reduces home employment. While the existing studies are mainly based on the industry level, this paper presents the evidence using newly constructed firm-level panel data set over the period 1991-2002. In spite of concerns expressed about the adverse effects of FDI on the domestic economy, the evidence does not support the view that overseas operations expand at the cost of home employment in Japan. On the contrary, the findings suggest that overseas operations have somewhat helped to maintaining the level of home employment in Japanese manufacturing during the period under study. However, the results are sensitive to the estimation method used and whether the estimation is based on the panel data set is balanced or unbalanced.Multinational Enterprises, FDI, Labour demand, hollowing out of manufacturing, Japan

The role of Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) in facilitating global production networks

This paper examines the effects of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) in facilitating international trade flows connecting production networks. We consider over 250 PTAs with trade flows distinguished into parts and components and final goods for the period 1979-2008. The gravity equation estimates suggest that the concurrent year effects of PTA formation on trade in parts and components are unseen, whereas PTAs have positive and pervasive effects on both types of trade flows 6 and 9 years after the PTA formation

Production fragmentation and trade integration: East Asia in a global context

This paper examines the implications of international production fragmentation for analysing global and regional trade patterns, with special emphasis on countries in East Asia. It is found that, while ‘fragmentation trade’ has generally grown faster than total world manufacturing trade, the degree of dependence of East Asia on this new form of international specialisation is proportionately larger compared to North America and Europe. International production fragmentation has certainly played a pivotal role in continuing dynamism of the East Asian economies and increasing intra-regional economic interdependence. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that this new form of international exchange has contributed to lessoning the regions dependence on the global economy. On the contrary, growth dynamism based on vertical specialisation depends inexorably on extra-regional trade in final good, and this dependence has in fact increased over the years

L type Ca2+ channel blockers prevent oxaliplatin-induced cold hyperalgesia and TRPM8 overexpression in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oxaliplatin is an important drug used in the treatment of colorectal cancer. However, it frequently causes severe acute and chronic peripheral neuropathies. We recently reported that repeated administration of oxaliplatin induced cold hyperalgesia in the early phase and mechanical allodynia in the late phase in rats, and that oxalate derived from oxaliplatin is involved in the cold hyperalgesia. In the present study, we examined the effects of Ca²⁺channel blockers on oxaliplatin-induced cold hyperalgesia in rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cold hyperalgesia was assessed by the acetone test. Oxaliplatin (4 mg/kg), sodium oxalate (1.3 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected i.p. on days 1 and 2. Ca²⁺(diltiazem, nifedipine and ethosuximide) and Na⁺(mexiletine) channel blockers were administered p.o. simultaneously with oxaliplatin or oxalate on days 1 and 2.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Oxaliplatin (4 mg/kg) induced cold hyperalgesia and increased in the transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) mRNA levels in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Furthermore, oxalate (1.3 mg/kg) significantly induced the increase in TRPM8 protein in the DRG. Treatment with oxaliplatin and oxalate (500 μM for each) also increased the TRPM8 mRNA levels and induced Ca²⁺influx and nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NFAT) nuclear translocation in cultured DRG cells. These changes induced by oxalate were inhibited by nifedipine, diltiazem and mexiletine. Interestingly, co-administration with nifedipine, diltiazem or mexiletine prevented the oxaliplatin-induced cold hyperalgesia and increase in the TRPM8 mRNA levels in the DRG.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data suggest that the L type Ca²⁺channels/NFAT/TRPM8 pathway is a downstream mediator for oxaliplatin-induced cold hyperalgesia, and that Ca²⁺channel blockers have prophylactic potential for acute neuropathy.</p

Ripple effects in global value chains : evidence from an episode of the US–China trade war

This study empirically examines the ripple effect of demand shocks on upstream suppliers in global value chains (GVCs). Specifically, we investigate how changes in US imports from China alter China’s imports of intermediate inputs in machinery industries from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. To address the simultaneity bias in this input-output linkage, we use the Trump tariffs in an episode of the US–China trade war as an instrument for US import demand from China. The analysis of China’s monthly imports from the three supplier economies during 2018-2019 finds evidence of negative tariff spillover via GVCs: the decrease in China’s output exports to the US caused by the Trump tariffs reduced China’s input imports from supplier economies. Also, this adverse ripple effect was the most significant in Taiwan, where multinational enterprises use China as an export platform, amplifying the adverse demand shock

Structure–function studies of ultrahigh molecular weight isoprenes provide key insights into their biosynthesis

Some plant trans-1,4-prenyltransferases (TPTs) produce ultrahigh molecular weight trans-1,4-polyisoprene (TPI) with a molecular weight of over 1.0 million. Although plant-derived TPI has been utilized in various industries, its biosynthesis and physiological function(s) are unclear. Here, we identified three novel Eucommia ulmoides TPT isoforms—EuTPT1, 3, and 5, which synthesized TPI in vitro without other components. Crystal structure analysis of EuTPT3 revealed a dimeric architecture with a central hydrophobic tunnel. Mutation of Cys94 and Ala95 on the central hydrophobic tunnel no longer synthesizd TPI, indicating that Cys94 and Ala95 were essential for forming the dimeric architecture of ultralong-chain TPTs and TPI biosynthesis. A spatiotemporal analysis of the physiological function of TPI in E. ulmoides suggested that it is involved in seed development and maturation. Thus, our analysis provides functional and mechanistic insights into TPI biosynthesis and uncovers biological roles of TPI in plants