Let me digress a little and touch briefly on a serious question of whether the world economy from the 21st century onward is sustainable in view of the energy and environmental problem. Recently, strong  BIS Review 46/2003  5  interest has been expressed with respect to the development of recyclable energy and the restraint of carbon dioxide emissions.
Considering the size of the economy and the tempo of growth in Asia, it is highly likely that Asia will be the first region to face squarely the question of whether or not the global economy is sustainable. Measures to deal with the energy and environmental problem should not be considered simply in terms of costs.