Book Description

The American business community has come to view Japan with decidedly mixed feelings compounded of admiration and growing uneasiness. The admiration stems from the manner in which Japan has recovered from the setbacks caused by World War II, and has emerged as one of the worlds foremost economies. The uneasiness stems not just from the impact which Japanese economic growth has had on American economy, but from the feeling that Japan may be playing the economic game under a different set of rules than obtain in this country. The continuous interaction between business and government in Japan has been summed up by a pungent phrase. In the United States, corporations and government generally each work in their separate spheres. In Japan, outsiders at least seem to be dealing with something that popularly has come to be called, "Japan, Incorporated."The purpose of this study is to investigate and explore the meaning and significance of "Japan, Incorporated," especially for U.S. businessmen who of necessity or by preference do business with or in Japan. Chapter I focuses attention on the extraordinary growth of the Japanese economy n the 1960s, and its impact n the United States. It also reviews the many factors that have contributed to this growth. This inquiry leads naturally to the relationship of Japanese business and government, which is the studys chief concern. "Japan: The Government-Business Relationship - A Guide for the American Businessman" was originally published in 1972.