Notes
Luxembourg ルクセンブルク;
the United Arab Emirates アラブ首長国連邦;
forefront 最前部、真っ先;
San Marino サンマリノ 《イタリア東部の世界最小の共和国;
Macao マカオ（葡: Macau）あるいは澳門、中華人民共和国の特別行政区の一つ;
gauge 測定する;

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According to Global Finance, the top five richest countries are Ireland, Luxembourg, Singapore, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, with Ireland at the forefront. In contrast, Japan ranks 38th, the United States 9th, and China 77th. Notably, the world’s wealthiest nations are often among the smallest. Despite facing economic challenges such as the pandemic, they have managed to maintain their wealth. This group includes countries like San Marino, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Singapore, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, deriving their wealth from finance, taxation, and natural resources. Macao, for instance, owes its riches to its thriving casino industry. Wealth in these countries/rigions is more accurately gauged by purchasing power parity, which takes into account the cost of living locally. Consequently, the richest countries boast significantly higher purchasing power than the poorest. Nevertheless, this wealth is not evenly distributed within these nations. It’s important to note that some of these countries are known as tax havens, which may distort the true picture of their economic status.
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Notes:
Global Power City Index 世界の都市総合力ランキング;
livability 居住性;
enhance (さらに)高める、増す；

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Even with a struggling economy, Tokyo held onto third place in the Global Power City Index (GPCI), just behind London and New York and slightly ahead of Paris. The Mori Memorial Foundation’s report showed the top cities remained mostly the same as previous years, but Tokyo nearly lost its spot to Paris due to economic difficulties. Other Japanese cities like Osaka and Fukuoka ranked 37th and 42nd. The index measures cities on economy, research, culture, livability, environment, and accessibility. Tokyo’s biggest challenge was in the economy category, where it fell to 10th, its lowest since 2008. Meanwhile, Beijing showed strength in this area. The report suggests Tokyo should improve in cultural interaction and accessibility to enhance its global appeal.
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