Abstract

This is an introductory book to economics that explains "macroeconomics" in an easy and fun way using manga and dialogue-style explanations. Macroeconomics is a method of analyzing the overall economy to see how a country's economy works. How is GDP, an indicator of the size of a country's economy, determined? The three decision models "45-degree line analysis," "IS-LM analysis," and "AD-AS analysis" are the most basic of macroeconomics, but the explanations are step-by-step so that even people who have never studied economics can understand them. In addition, based on the explanation of these three models, the book also expands on how certain economic phenomena are linked to other economic phenomena. For example, when you come into contact with daily economic information, you may have questions such as: "Why does the yen weaken when the United States and Europe raise interest rates?" "Why is the Bank of Japan the only one that continues monetary easing even though the people of Japan are suffering from inflation?" "Why are bank failures in the United States related to interest rate hikes in the United States?" etc. An economic chain is a chain reaction in which one economic phenomenon affects other economic phenomena, which in turn affect other economic phenomena. The ability to understand the economy can be said to be the ability to think about how things work together. If you can acquire this ability, you will be able to find the answers to the questions mentioned above and be able to predict the future in business and investment. This book will help you acquire not only the basics of macroeconomics but also practical knowledge.

Author’s Information

Yoshio Takigawa
Professor at the Faculty of English Career Studies, Kansai Gaidai University, Professor Emeritus at Kobe University (Graduate School of Economics), and Visiting Professor at the Open University of Japan. Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1953. Completed the master's course at the Kobe University Graduate School of Economics in 1978. Attended Yale University Graduate School in the United States from 1980 to 1982, and was a visiting researcher at the University of British Columbia in Canada from 1993 to 1994. Has appeared on many information programs as a commentator on economic news, including NHK Sunday Debate, Mainichi Broadcasting System, ABC Broadcasting, Yomiuri TV, Radio Kansai, Radio Osaka, and others. His publications include "An Introduction to Statistics Made Easy with Manga," "Understanding Microeconomics with Manga" (Shinsei Publishing), and "Illustrated Trivia about Keynesian Economics" (Natsume Publishing), among others.