Asia, encompassing the eastern Eurasian continent and its island regions, is home to over 60% of the world’s population and is characterized by profound geographical, cultural, and social diversity. Against this widely recognized backdrop, this presentation explores how the economic history of Asia may be conceptualized not merely as a collection of national narratives, but as a regional entity shaped by enduring internal linkages.

Beginning in the early 1980s, Japanese and international scholars, working within the conceptual framework of the “Asian Trading Zone,” examined economic interconnections across the region as a cohesive whole. By focusing on trade-related dimensions, they traced the emergence of intra-Asian linkages from the 16th century onward and reinterpreted the region’s economic transformations in the 19th century and beyond through the lens of these earlier dynamics. This framework offered an alternative to nation-centered, Eurocentric narratives and anticipated the rise of global economic history in the 1990s, with its emphasis on connectivity and comparison.

The study of Asia’s regional economic history has continued to evolve alongside contemporary political and economic developments. This presentation reflects on the intellectual trajectory of Asian economic history and considers how historical perspectives may inform our understanding of the region’s current challenges and future prospects.