Curriculum Vitae
(As of March, 2024)
Asei ITO
1. Education degrees
03/2006: B.A. in Economics, Keio University, Japan
03/2009: M.A. in Economics, Keio University, Japan
07/2014: Ph.D. in Economics, Keio University, Japan
2. Employment and oversea experiences
2-1. Academic experiences
08/2006-07/2007: Exchange student, People's University of China, Beijing.
04/2009-03/2011: Encouraged Researcher, Faculty of Economics, Keio University.
02/2011-08/2011: Exchange student, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou.
04/2011-03/2012: Research Fellow, Japanese Society for Promotion of Science.
04/2012-03/2015: Project Research Associate, Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo; and Area Research Fellow, National Institute of Humanities (NIHU), Japan.
04/2015-03/2017: Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo.
04/2017-present: Associate Professor, Institute of Social Science, The University of Tokyo.
04/2017-03/2018: Visiting scholar, China Center for Special Economic Zone Research, Shenzhen University
08/2022-05/2023 Visiting Scholar, Harvard-Yenching Institute.
08/2023-05/2024 Visiting Scholar, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University
2-2. Public services (Selected)
03/2021- Expert Committee Member in Foreign Exchange Committee of the Council on Customs, Tariff, Foreign Exchange and Other Transactions. The Ministry of Finance (MOF), Japan.
05/2021- Temporary Committee Member in Trade and Commerce Committee of Industrial Structure Council. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan.
3. Fellowships, grants, and honors
3-1. Research fellowships
2011-2012 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Research Fellowships for Young Scientists
2018-2021 The University of Tokyo, Research Grant for Excellent Young Researchers
2018- Academic Advisor, Mt. Fuji Dialogue Young Forum, hosted by Nikkei Shimbun
2020-2022 Adjunct Senior Fellow, Nippon Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA)
2021-2023 Faculty Fellow, Research Institute of Economy, Trade, and Industry (RIETI)
3-2. Research grants (Principal investigator)
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the JSPS Fellows, 2011-2012 (ID: 11J03422), “Structure and Development of Miscellaneous Goods Industries in East Asia: Flying Geese, Industrial Agglomeration, and the Restructuring of the Division of Labor” [東アジア雑貨産業の構造と展開―雁行形態・産業集積・分業再編―]
The Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation Research Grant, 2010 (ID: 10-001), “Structure and Development of Miscellaneous Goods Industries: A Case Study of Zhejiang and Guangdong” [東アジア雑貨産業の構造と展開 −浙江省と広東省の事例分析−]
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up, 2012- 2014 (ID: 24830024), “The End of China as the “World's Factory”?: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Industrial Agglomeration in Coastal Areas” [中国の「世界の工場」時代は終わるのか？―沿海部産業集積の定量定性分析].
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B), 2014– 2017 (ID: 26780140), “An Empirical Analysis of China's Industrial Upgrading Policy: Focusing on the Central Government, Local Governments, and Strategic Industries” [中国の産業高度化政策の実証分析―中央政府・地方政府・戦略産業に注目して].
The University of Tokyo, Research Grant for Excellent Young Researchers, 2018-2021.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) , 2020-2024 (ID: 20K12367), “Comparative Studies on Digitalization in Asia: Utilization Level, Policy Framework, and Electronic Authentication System” [アジアにおけるデジタル化の国際比較―利活用水準、政策体系、電子認証制度に注目して].
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), 2024-2027 (ID: 24K03158), “An Empirical Study of Xi Jinping Texts: Compilation, comparison, and Causal Inference.” [習近平文書の実証研究：生成比較と因果推論].
3-3. Academic Awards
Young Researcher Encouragement Award (2011), Japan Academy of Small Business Studies, for Ito (2010) “The Dilemma and Development Dynamics of Yiwu: Evolution as a Supply System of Cheap Goods.”
Tadao Kiyonari Prize (2016), The Japan Academic Society for Ventures and Entrepreneurs, for Ito, Asei. (2015) Industrial Agglomeration in Modern China: A "World's Factory" and Bottom-Up Economic Development.
Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Prize (2017), The Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Foundation. for Ito, Asei. (2015) Industrial Agglomeration in Modern China: A "World's Factory" and Bottom-Up Economic Development.
Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Prize, Special Prize (2021), The Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Foundation.
Yomiuri-Yoshino Sakuzo Prize (2021), Yomiuri Shimbun and Chuokoron-Shinsha, for Ito (2020) Emerging Economies Going Digital: Leapfrogging the North or rise of a surveillance society?
Small Business Research Encouragement Award (2021), Shoko Research Institute, for a case study book on Suzhou Industrial Agglomeration.
Ota Katsuhiro Memorial China Academic Research Award, "Survival Analysis of Chinese Venture Firms: Focusing on Industry, Location, and Investment Attributes" (Modern China, No. 97, September 2023), Institute of Chinese Studies, Japan.
The Daido Life Foundation Award on Area Studies (2025), The Daido Life Foundation.