ERINA or Economic Research Institute for North East Asia is a think tank based in Japan that provides insights into economic trends and activities within the region. They are focussed on conducting research related to the interdependent relationships and trade and coordination between Japan and neighbouring nations and regions on the sectors of infrastructure, energy and environmental cooperation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not only a force behind the fourth Industrial Revolution but also a potential enabler of sustainable development in a wide variety of socioeconomic sectors. There has been explosive growth in research and applications in AI, particularly in the fields of machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and cognitive computing which are increasingly transforming the way we live and work in the region and beyond.

Developing Asia will need to invest US$26tn from 2016 to 2030, or US$1.7tn per year, if the region is to maintain its growth momentum, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

China accounts for nearly half of the US$1.7tn total annual requirement but its infrastructure gap is much smaller than the Asian average after a quarter century of unprecedented investment.