Project Leader	Ikeda Masahiro (Okayama Shoka University, Faculty of Economics)
Collaborators	Okubo Shohei (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology) Ota Atsushi (Keio University, Faculty of Economics) Kakizaki Ichiro (Yokohama City University, International College of Liberal Arts) Kawasaki Akiyuki (The University of Tokyo, Institute for Future Initiatives) Kobayashi Atsushi (Kyoto University, Center for Southeast Asian Studies) Suzuki Hideaki (National Museum of Ethnology, Department of Globalization and Humanity) Shiroyama Tomoko (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Economics) Shimada Ryuto (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology) Sugihara Kaoru (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Research Department) Taga Yoshihiro (Tohoku Gakuin University, Faculty of Letters) Nishimura Takeshi (Kansai University, Faculty of Economics) Matsumoto Jun (Tokyo Metropolitan University, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences) Mieno Fumiharu (Kyoto University, Center for Southeast Asian Studies) Miyata Toshiyuki (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Graduate School of Global Studies)
Research Project	Socio-economic change and seasonality in modern Southeast Asia
Countries of Study	Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar

Outline of Research

This project explores how seasonal fluctuations have changed in modern Southeast Asia, where the natural environments have inherently constrained and defined regional economic activities. Here, seasonality refers to natural phenomena such as typhoons, precipitation, and changing river water levels, which affect production activities, regional labor mobility, short-term fluctuations in commercial and financial transactions, and so on. The project will examine how economic agents have responded and interacted with seasonality and propose a fresh look at socioeconomic transformation in modern Southeast Asia through this keyword. The project members are researchers in history, economic history, economics, climatology, and hydrology; thus, the theme will be discussed from diverse viewpoints. The project members aim to develop interdisciplinary collaborative research following this project.

Purpose of Research, Its Significance and Expected Results, etc

The purpose of the project is to capture changes in the seasonality of economic activities in Southeast Asia from the 19th to the early 20th centuries using quantitative data and historical documents. During this period, Southeast Asia witnessed drastic economic transformations, including trade liberalization, the introduction of modern technology, incorporation into international markets, and market integration. These changes have had a significant impact on the socioeconomy of the region, which is profoundly entangled with the tropical monsoon and oceanic climate.

By focusing on seasonality, this study will quantitatively, qualitatively, and visually identify changes in various aspects of the socioeconomy and clarify the interconnections among them. By accessing high-frequency data, such as exchange rates and trade volumes, from newspapers and periodicals published from the early 19th century, we can capture long-term seasonal fluctuations. Moreover, since the mid-19th century, Western colonial authorities have investigated and documented the geographies, water regimes, and climates of their colonies and published data on typhoon trajectories, temperature, humidity, precipitation, and water levels of the main rivers. Using these official records, we can visualize the interconnections between the natural environment and local economies through hydroclimatological analyses.

The project will promote dialog among economic historians of Southeast Asia, associate them with other regions and disciplines, and stimulate discussions from various perspectives. The participation of natural scientists in climatology and hydrology can transcend academic boundaries and provide new insights into the relationship between natural seasonality and local economies.

This project is expected to illuminate new aspects of Southeast Asia’s modern socioeconomic transformation, thus deepening our understanding of the region. Simultaneously, the participants will explore more specific and broader research topics to build upon this project and further develop future collaborative research.