日々刻刻と変化する国際情勢を読み解き、我が国を取り巻く世界経済の行方を適確に見極めることは極めて難解な作業です。それには経済学のみならず安全保障・地政学を含めた国際政治や社会、文化、先端技術への深い造詣、特に実業を通じた経験など、まさに縦割りの分野を超えて「全体像」を把握しようとグローバルな官民のプレーヤー達と競う知的格闘技になります。企業活動の存続にとっては、内外での活動が直面する様々なリスクの構造を理解し備えることが求められます。

　私ども一般財団法人 国際貿易投資研究所(ITI) は、産官学を通じた公共の利益のため、学術研究や国際ビジネスに資する様々なテーマに果敢に取り組んでおります。例えば、世界経済研究協会から継承し復刊した隔月誌「世界経済評論」は1956年の創刊来、65年余の歴史を持つ我が国唯一無二の専門誌として、現実の課題の解決策を探求する学識経験者や政策立案者、実業の皆様に広く活用され続けています。また各界の論文・レポートを掲載し情報発信に供する様々なプラットフォームも当研究所のウェブサイトで提供しています。Peer reviewやCritiqueを得ることができる発表の場として、皆様に広く活用され、育てていただければ思っております。

　多くの皆さまが当研究所を「知の交差点」として活用されることを願ってやみません。

一般財団法人 国際貿易投資研究所(ITI)
理事長　日下　一正

Understanding international affairs which changes every day and every moment, and accurately determining the future direction of the global economy which surrounds Japan is a highly complex task. It not only requires economics, but also a profound knowledge of international politics including security and geopolitics, society, culture, advanced technology, and experiences acquired through business. This will indeed go beyond the vertically divided areas and will be an intellectual martial art where public and private players in the global arena aim to grasp the “holistic picture”. For business activities to thrive, it is required to understand the structure of the various risks facing domestic and external activities, and be prepared.

We at the Institute for International Trade and Investment (ITI) have been boldly pursuing various thematic issues to benefit academic research and global businesses for the purpose of public benefit across industry, government and academia. For example, our bi-monthly magazine “World Economic Review” which have been passed on from the Association of World Economic Studies to be reissued at ITI, continues to be widely utilized by academic experts, policy makers and business people exploring solutions to real issues as the one and only specialized journal which has a history of over 65 years since it was first published in 1956. ITI also publishes papers and reports from various fields, and the ITI website offers various platforms to disseminate information. We hope it can be widely utilized and nurtured by all as a space of publication to obtain peer review and critique.

It is our sincere hope that ITI will be utilized as a “crossroad of intelligence”.

Kazumasa Kusaka
President , Institute for International Trade and Investment（ITI）