However, Japan is included in
this study because it is often viewed as a role model for the more recently industrialized East
Asian countries. Furthermore, it provides a specific comparison for TFPG experience. It has
been suggested that these three countries have had to overcome similar problems; namely
being relatively densely populated while limited in natural resources. The other members of
the NIEs, Hong Kong and Singapore, were excluded partly because they face different
problems, being small city-states and having no agricultural sectors.