ABSTRACT
In the increasingly multilateral trade and policy environment of the twenty-first century, Japan faces several conflicting challenges. Internationally, Japan’s trade prowess, increasing manufacturing presence around the world, and economic leadership in Asia have made the country an integral member of multilateral organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). Japan is increasingly expected to uphold the norms of free trade and economic openness as articulated in a variety of international treaties, and to assume a geopolitical role commensurate with its global economic position.
