Kenichi Kawasaki

Kenichi Kawasaki serves as Professor at Japan's National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and Consulting Fellow at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). Previously, he held senior positions as economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Director for Economic Outlook at Japan's Cabinet Office, providing direct government policy experience.

His research specializes in international trade policy impacts, with particular focus on tariff-induced trade diversion effects and global supply chain reconfigurations. Recent work employs advanced computable general equilibrium modeling to quantify how protectionist measures alter trade flows and economic welfare across interconnected markets, bridging theoretical economics with actionable policy insights.

Analysis of his 2025 publication on US tariff hikes reveals consistent emphasis on real-world trade policy consequences, demonstrating how economic modeling can illuminate unintended consequences of protectionism through trade diversion mechanisms.

His scholarly contributions have been recognized through:

• Induction into the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) Research Fellow Hall of Fame

Professor Kawasaki's career uniquely integrates academic rigor with frontline policy experience, maintaining active roles in both Japan's premier policy graduate school and national economic think tank while contributing to international economic discourse through platforms like VoxEU.