The famous ROC economist Wang Tso-jung says, "I can recite Japanese economics of the Meiji Restoration by heart, but I'm completely cut off from Japanese economics over the last thirty years."

This situation is especially common in government. The reason? Under the shadow of the Sino-Japanese War, and with postwar American aid, most government officials studied in the U.S., and the American system has been unconsciously carried into the ROC

But things are looking different.

Since he took office, President Lee Teng-hui has often express the need to strengthen relations with Japan, and Japanese visitors have come in a stream.

On February 22 of last year, in his first press conference for foreign and domestic reporters, President Lee pointed out that the two nations should achieve a division of labor and cooperate for mutual benefit. On August 16 of last year, while listening to the report on national construction, he again stressed that Taiwan should absorb Japanese technology and the Japanese economic experience, and develop the Japanese market, to aid in Taiwan's economic upgrading.

President Lee's style of "giving equal weight to Japan and the U.S." applies to the media as well. This May 9, the Yomiuri News of Japan carried an interview with President Lee as its headline. This is, after one with Reader's Digest, President Lee's second special interview with the foreign media.

"President Lee pays great attention to all the experiences of Japan," explains Liu Tai-ying of the Taiwan Institute of Economics. "This is because he studied in both Japan and the U.S. and understands clearly their strengths and weaknesses."

At the beginning of May, there was a "Conference on Economic Upgrading and the Japanese Economic Development Experience." This was no ordinary conference. Attendees included Fredrick Chien, head of the Committee on Economic Planning and Development, Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Li-an, Eugene Chien, director of the Environmental Protection Administration, and other leading figures of government, business, and academia. And at the recently opened 11th Executive Yuan Technology Consultation Conference, for the first time, two Japanese consultants were invited.

For the next fiscal year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has allocated NT$1.7 billion for the administrative costs of its "Work Plan for Importing Foreign Technology." They have further set aside NT$10 billion for training new talent. The target of this three-year plan was Japan.

This threw oil on the fire of Sino-American and Sino-European trade friction. After objections from the U.S. and European nations, the ministry could only hurriedly clarify that in importing technology Japan would not be the only target nation, but that the plan was just to open the window to the outside a bit more.

In comparison, the performance of domestic enterprise pales. In the past, without government support, the private sector built up decades of close cooperation with Japan. What space is there for the government to develop?

Conceptually, the above plan seems ordinary, but it is a meaningful shift. Shih Yen-shiang, director of the Office of Science and Technology Advisors in the MOEA points out that close relations with Japan have continually existed for the private sector, but have never been acknowledged by the government. "This is a conceptual announcement, indicating that the government is giving proper attention to the facts."

The government has also taken concrete steps.

According to Shih Yen-shiang, the government will not play a leading role in the importing of Japanese technology, but will serve as a helpmate: "On the road already built by the private sector, the government will clear the obstacles and perhaps build a few off-ramps, so that if the main road is jammed they can go around on the small roads."

Looking at the plan, its main points are in information, personnel training, technology transfer, and in studying Japanese laws and institutions. The MOEA plans to set up technology transfer service centers in the Tokyo office of the Taiwan Economic Research Institute and in the Industrial Development and Investment Center. The Industrial Development Bureau, China Productivity Center, and the Medium and Small Business Administration can offer guidance in technology, while the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Institute for Information Industry, and Bio-Technology Development Center take responsibility for relatively high-level, high-risk technology development.

From the point of view of business, personnel training is the most useful.

Dr. C.C. Chen, professor of Economics at National Taiwan University and vice general manager of Tamp Auto Parts Industrial Co., Ltd., says, "Domestic manpower is inadequate. Superior talent concentrates in big enterprises, and the headache for small and medium enterprise is that they can't find enough talent."

Casper Shih reveals that the China Productivity Center (CPC) plans to invite Japanese technical specialists to Taiwan to train people, after which those people will go to small and medium enterprises. When the business can use the relevant technology on its own, the personnel can either remain in the enter-prise or return to the CPC. "This can solve the inability of small and medium enterprises to find technical people, and also give technical talent a chance to recharge."

Long-neglected talent which has studied in Japan will receive new attention. The MOEA has already contacted the China Institute of Engineers, Japan branch, and other organizations.

Everyone asks, "What will the government do for enterprises?" But everybody ignores that government agencies are important targets for importing Japanese "technology."

Yen Shih-shiang points out, "The importation of Japanese laws and institutions is something President Lee is concerned most about."

In the past, the ROC referred to the U.S. and Europe in establishing laws, but the development experiences are not close. But in Japan, one can see the tracks of the ROC experience, such as in the latter's current environmental, labor, and currency appreciation problems.

In this information era, the ROC, is more estranged from Japan, a mere two hours away by air, than it is from the U.S., Europe, or even Korea. But with the new attention to Japan, after the recent craze in securities and property, government officials began to refer to the Japanese securities system and land policy.

Since importing Japanese laws and institutions is a key work point, we can expect to see the shadow of Japanese policy on ROC policy in the near future. But can government agencies transform their previous complex toward the Japanese? This remains to be seen.

But at least one thing is sure: In this new "look east," a new set of glasses have already been made up.

[Picture Caption]

Japanese technical personnel give direction on the production line.

The Japanese specialist Takenaka Kazuo (center) spoke on "A Look Back and Ahead at the Japanese Economy." At right is Professor Wang Tso-jung.

Japanese technical personnel play an important role at quality control meetings.

Casper Shih of the China Productivity Center wants to play the "match-maker who guarantees a child" this time.

To overcome the linguistic obstacles in a period of technology transformation, the China Productivity Center is offering classes in industrial Japanese.

The absurdity and alienation of modern society are also recurrent themes of little theater. Shown is a scene from 0:61 O'Clock by the Huan Shi Laboratory Theater. （photo by Pao Chih-hsiung）

Mencius' Mother 3000 was an attempt at social action theater, bringing art into the community and provoking public engagement and reflection. （photo by Ch'iu Kuo-kuang）

Mencius' Mother 3000 was an attempt at social action theater, bringing art into the community and provoking public engagement and reflection. （photo by Ch'iu Kuo-kuang）

The Screen Theater Company uses comic techniques to point up the absurdity, chaos, and hopelessness of modern society, combining commercialism with the avant-garde. （photo at left by Arthur Cheng, at right by Ore Hock Chai）