This open access book studies how foreign models of economic development can be effectively
learned by and applied to today's latecomer countries. Policy capacity and societal learning
are increasingly stressed as pre-conditions for successful catch-up. However how such learning
should be initiated by individual societies with different features needs to be explained. The
book answers this pragmatic question from the perspective of Japan's past experience and its
extensive development cooperation in Asia Africa and Latin America. Since the late nineteenth
century Japan has developed a unique philosophy and method for adopting advanced technologies
and systems from the West the same philosophy and method govern its current cooperation with
the developing world. The key concepts are local learning and translative adaptation. Local
learning says that development requires the learner to adopt a proactive mindset and the goal
of graduating from receiving aid. Meanwhile translative adaptation requires foreign models be
modified to fit local realities given the different structures of the home and foreign society.
The development process must be wholly owned by the domestic society in rejection of
copy-and-paste acceptance. These ideas not only informed Japan but are key to successful
development for all. The book also asks how this learning method should-or should not-be
revised in the age of SDGs and digitalization. Following the overview section that lays out the
general principles the book offers many real cases from Japan and other countries. The
concrete actions outlined in these cases with close attention to individual growth ingredients
as opposed to general theories are crucial to successful policy making. The book contains
materials that are highly useful for national leaders and practitioners within developing
countries as well as students of development studies.
