Introduction. The successful historical experience of modernizing Japanese economy, which managed to become one of the world economy leaders, found theoretical and methodological justification in the “Flying Wild Geese” paradigm formulated by K. Akamatsu. Scientific review. The introduction of a wide range of readers to the concept of uneven economic growth in advanced and developing countries occurred after the publication of K. Akamatsu’s articles in English in the 1960s. The methodology of the Japanese scientist was influenced by his studying German philosophic and economic thought. The “Flying Wild Geese” paradigm was built on the basis of the long wave of economic conjuncture theory by the Russian economist N. D. Kondratiev and included three models. The first model described the following sequence: import – domestic production – export. The second model explained the transition of production from consumer goods to capital goods and from simple and unprocessed products to complex and processed products. The third model showed the hierarchy of countries in the world economy in accordance with the stages of economic growth. Economic development is encouraged by contradictions and takes place in the form of the alternating emergence and resolution of contradictions of supply and demand. Industrial innovations create a contradiction in the comparative cost structure of national economies and stimulate the growth of international trade. The spread of innovations eliminates the resulting contradiction and slows down economic development. The main contradictions of development, cyclical dynamics and structural shifts correspond to the policy of progressive development, cyclical stabilization policy and structural coordination policy. Conclusion. The conducted research has shown the theoretical and methodological origins and foundations of modern economic thought in Japan.