ABSTRACT
As a leader in some important IT sectors, like cell phone communications, Japan has set an example for many other countries. The United States also offers some good illustration of what can be accomplished when a country’s industries adapt quickly to new technologies and these experiences may, in turn, be useful background for developing strategy accelerating Japanese growth. There is broad agreement among the many studies in this field that the improvement in the economic performance of the United States relates to the IT revolution and we have noted that in recent years much of the improvement in productivity has been in retail and wholesale trade and finance (Basu et al., 2001). While much progress has been made, there remain large possibilities for further development in the United States and, also, in Japan.
