Date　　　Thursday 17, September 2026 12:40-13:40（postponed）
Title　　　"Dynamic Selection with the Informal Sector"
Abstract　This paper asks when informality can turn policies that normally
　　　　　 affect economic activity only at the level into policies with
　　　　　 permanent effects on long-run growth. I develop a tractable
　　　　　 continuous-time model of firm dynamics in which firms choose
　　　　　 whether to operate formally and, if registered, how much to comply
　　　　　 with regulatory and labor-market obligations. Growth arises from
　　　　　 the diffusion of ideas across firms, but informal firms are less
　　　　　 visible as sources of knowledge. The model delivers a sharp result:
　　　　　 when all firms are equally visible, policy changes shift firm
　　　　　 selection and the level of economic activity but leave the
　　　　　 balanced-growth rate unchanged. Informality breaks this invariance
　　　　　 by hiding part of the idea pool, so policies that induce formalization
　　　　　 can permanently raise knowledge diffusion and growth. Faster
　　　　　 growth also accelerates incumbent obsolescence, generating a
　　　　　 growth?output trade-off. I discipline the model using Mexican firm
　　　　　 and worker data and quantify policy effects over the set of
　　　　　 observationally equivalent values of informal-firm visibility.
　　　　　 The results show how informality determines whether policy has
　　　　　 purely level effects or changes long-run growth.
Speaker 　 Masakazu Emoto (Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, HIAS)
Meeting Format　[Face-to-Face] Seminar Room 205, Annex. (*)
　　　　　 Kunitachi Campus, Hitotsubashi University,
　　　　　(*)No. 5 building in the campus map
Language　English
Registration　Poster
　　　　　 https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/aUL3jbtNd0
　　　　　 (Deadline: 15 September)
　　　　　*Bring your own lunch. Coffee and snacks will be served.

Date：　　August 30 (Sun)
Venue：　 Conference Room, Mercury Tower 7th floor,
　　　　　Hitotsubashi University Kunitachi Campus
　　　　　(*)No. 34 building in the campus map
Language：English
Details：　 https://glecs.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/en/event/hsi2026/
Note：　　Poster
　　　　　Please register yourself the online form on the website above.
　　　　　Registration deadline for the luncheon and reception:
　　　　　17 August (Mon)
　　　　　Registration for the conference participation only is available
　　　　　until 24 August (Mon).

Date：　　July 11 (Fri)-12 (Sat)
Venue：　 Conference Room, Mercury Tower 7th floor,
　　　　　Hitotsubashi University Kunitachi Campus
　　　　　(*)No. 34 building in the campus map
Language：English
Details：　 https://glecs.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/en/event/hsi2026/
Note：　　Poster
　　　　　Please register yourself the online form on the website above.
　　　　　Registration deadline for the luncheon and reception:
　　　　　29 June (Mon) at noon.
　　　　　Registration for the conference participation only is available
　　　　　until 6 July (Mon).

Date        Friday 24, July, 2026 16:00-17:00
Venue　     Hybrid（HIAS Seminar Room / Online via zoom)
Speaker     Bo Hu (Associate Professorial Research Fellow,
　　　　　 London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE))
Title     　"Access to public transport and unmet long-term care needs in
　　　　　 England"
Abstract  Communities and the built environment have a profound influence
　　　　　on people's access to care and support. This study investigates
　　　　　the impacts of public transport access on unmet long-term care
　　　　　needs in the English older population. The data came from the
　　　　　English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA, waves 6-10, 2012-2023).
　　　　　The sample was 10,518 people aged 50 and over with long-term
　　　　　care needs. We looked at five indicators of public transport access:
　　　　　availability, coverage/connections, affordability, reliability and
　　　　　frequency. We built three-level generalised linear regression models
　　　　　to investigate the relationships between public transport access
　　　　　and unmet care needs. People experiencing unavailability,
　　　　　unaffordability, unreliability, and infrequency of public transport
　　　　　services are significantly more likely to have unmet needs than
　　　　　those without such experience. These relationships remained
　　　　　statistically significant after a wide range of control variables and
　　　　　individual-level and local authority-level heterogeneity were
　　　　　accounted for, with odds ratios ranging from 1.37 to 1.63 in different
　　　　　models. Further analyses showed that those relationships are
　　　　　attributable to reduced access to informal care but not to formal
　　　　　care. Disparities in public transport access lead to disparities in
　　　　　long-term care access. High-quality, affordable and accessible
　　　　　public transport services are vitally important to the production
　　　　　of care and the fulfilment of the rising care demand in the
　　　　　population. There is a strong case for social care and public
　　　　　transport authorities to tap into the synergies between their
　　　　　policies.
Language   English
Note　　　To register, please apply via the form below by Wednesday, July 22.
　　　　　https://forms.office.com/r/ew1cmyNqAp
Link　　　https://health-economics.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/event_english/20260724

Date　　　Friday 19, June, 2026 12:40-13:40
Title　　　"Can Ex Ante Regulation Address Generative AI? Insights from
　　　　　 the EU DMA and Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act"
Abstract　In recent years, the spread of generative AI, together with
　　　　　 emerging developments toward practical AI agents, has raised new
　　　　　 competition-related questions that may reshape how users search
　　　　　 for information, use apps, access services, and make choices online.
　　　　　 Platform ex ante regulation, such as the EU Digital Markets Act
　　　　　 (DMA) and Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) was
　　　　　 originally designed with existing platform services in mind,
　　　　　 including search engines, operating systems, app stores, and
　　　　　 browsers. This raises the question of how far such regulatory
　　　　　 frameworks, premised on existing platform services, can respond to
　　　　　 the new competition issues brought about by generative AI and
　　　　　 AI agents.
　　　　　 This presentation first provides an overview of recent competition-
　　　　　 law debates on generative AI. It then examines the issues
　　　　　 surrounding Google AI Overviews, the possibility that AI agents may
　　　　　 become a new "gateway" to digital services, and the extent to
　　　　　 which the DMA and Japan's MSCA may address these developments.
　　　　　 Through this discussion, the presentation aims to offer a basis for
　　　　　 considering the significance and limits of ex ante regulation in the
　　　　　 age of generative AI.
Speaker 　 Dr. Wang Weisi (Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, HIAS)
Meeting Format　[Face-to-Face] Seminar Room 205, Annex. (*)
　　　　　 Kunitachi Campus, Hitotsubashi University,
　　　　　(*)No. 5 building in the campus map
Language　English and Japanese
Registration　https://forms.office.com/r/zSKgiSq1RP
　　　　　 (Deadline: 3 PM, 18 June)
　　　　　*Bring your own lunch. Coffee and snacks will be served.

Date        Friday 26, June, 2026 16:00-17:00
Venue　     Hybrid（HIAS Seminar Room / Online via zoom)
Speaker     Kelly Hall (Professor, Department of Social Policy,
　　　　　 Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham)
Title     　"Does organisational model affect quality of care?
　　　　　A comparison of for-profit, not-for profit, government run and social
　　　　　enterprise organisations in English social care"
Abstract  This seminar will share research that explores whether organisational
　　　　　model affects care quality. It compares not-for-profit, social enterprise,
　　　　　for-profit and government-run social care (long-term-care)
　　　　　organisations in England. Using England's Care Quality Commission and
　　　　　Skills for Care data alongside qualitative interviews with stakeholders
　　　　　and staff, findings suggest that social enterprises (businesses with a
　　　　　social mission) perform the same or better than any other
　　　　　organisational form. Qualitative insights point to governance,
　　　　　organisational relationships and size as key factors shaping quality
　　　　　outcomes.
Language   English
Note　　　To register, please apply using the form below by Wednesday, June 24.
　　　　　https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/3c147dSnaY
Link　　　 https://health-economics.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/event_english/20260626

Date　　　Thursday 21, May, 2026 12:40-13:40
Title　　　"AI Governance: The Good, the Bad, and the Uncertain in the EU, US,
　　　　　 and Japan"
Abstract　AI governance has become a central regulatory challenge,
　　　　　 reflecting divergent legal traditions, policy priorities, and risk
　　　　　 perceptions across major jurisdictions. This presentation compares
　　　　　 the European Union, the United States, and Japan, focusing on
　　　　　 the strengths, weaknesses, and uncertainties of their approaches.
　　　　　 The EU advances a comprehensive, precautionary model centered
　　　　　 on fundamental rights and ex ante risk regulation, though it raises
　　　　　 concerns about overregulation and limits on innovation.
　　　　　 The US relies on a fragmented, sectoral, and market-driven
　　　　　 framework that supports flexibility and technological growth but
　　　　　 leaves notable regulatory gaps and uneven protections.
　　　　　 Japan adopts a hybrid, soft-law approach grounded in human-
　　　　　 centric principles and societal trust, yet faces issues of
　　　　　 enforceability and limited global influence. Across these systems,
　　　　　 AI governance reveals deep tensions between individual rights and
　　　　　 collective interests, the resilience of social infrastructures, and
　　　　　 the pursuit of innovation and competitiveness. These tensions
　　　　　 highlight the scale of AI's impact and the difficult trade-offs
　　　　　 involved in balancing safeguards with the drive for technological
　　　　　 leadership. The analysis underscores the need for greater
　　　　　 coordination while preserving legal pluralism in global AI
　　　　　 governance.
Speaker 　 Davide Totaro (Assistant Professor, HIAS)
Meeting Format　In-person [Face-to-Face]
　　　　　 Seminar Room 517, Faculty Building II (*) 5th floor
　　　　　(*)No. 21 building in the campus map
Language　English
Registration　https://forms.office.com/r/rzGQuRSusm
　　　　　 (Deadline: 3 PM, 20 May)
　　　　　*Bring your own lunch. Coffee and snacks will be served.