ABSTRACT
In spite of much evidence of the superiority of Japanese industrial and managerial efficiency, labour relations and her active salesmanship based on a considerable knowledge of foreign markets, US and EEC business interests and politicians continue to regard Japanese ‘unfair’ trading practices as the main cause of the increasing trade imbalance between Japan on the one hand and the USA and the EEC on the other. At least four sets of ‘unfair’ practices are highlighted:1
(1) Explicit Japanese barriers to imports (tariffs, quotas and procurement policies);
(2) Non-tariff practices that both promote exports and limit imports; (3) The Japanese distribution system which allegedly limits imports; (4) The restrictions on foreign banks operating in the Japanese market.
