Exploring and Sharing Asian Economic History: An Interim Report on the Asian Historical Statistics Database Project

19 Novemer 2007 -- Title pageA revised, enlarged version of a discussion paper entitled as "Understanding and Sharing Asian Economic History: On the Significance of the Asian Statistics Database Project," D97-25, COE Project, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, February 1998This essay describes the aims and methods of an internationally linked, academic research project to create an economic database covering most of Asia. Named ASHSTAT, its purpose is to construct long-term, macro economic time series for the Russia, Central Asia, China, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, using a standardised national accounting framework designed to maximise the compatibility and comparability of the data. The essay also discusses the value of the project, citing several illustrative examples, to show how cross-country comparison as well as time-based analysis may enhance the understanding of national economic development.21世紀COEプログラム = 21st-Century COE Program1. Introduction2. The Objectives and Methods3. The Composition of the Database4. Historical Digression5. Conceptual Tool Box for Database Creation6. Possible Uses of the Project Outcomes7. Illustrative Questions in Comparative Economic Development8. Concluding RemarksAppendi