ABSTRACT
Japan’s foreign relations since regaining independence in 1952 have been dominated by the struggle to integrate itself into world markets. Americans and Canadians alike lost their lives in the effort to defend the noncommunist states, including Japan, and to maintain a strong military position for the United States and those who became its allies in East Asia. Under the occupation the United States leaders insisted on opening up Western markets to Japanese exports despite attempts by Great Britain and other allies to restrict the Japanese textile and shipbuilding industries, which later became strong competitors. Gaining entry to Japan’s market has proved to be harder than keeping Japan out of North American markets by voluntary restraints, orderly marketing, antidumping duties, countervailing duties, import surcharges, or currency manipulation. The availability of fish is a matter of great concern to Japan, as fish occupies the same place in the Japanese diet that meat does for North Americans.
