The history of trade in Japan

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APEC plan maps out hard-to-swallow demands for Japan
Kyodo News, 16 October 1998. Japan looks set to face pressure to liberalize trade at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Japanese officials say Japan cannot accommodate early liberalization in fishery and forestry products because of political sensitivity, namely strong opposition from competing domestic industries.
Japan starts first GM-free futures contract
By Gillian Tett, Financial Times, 22 March 2000. Japan is introducing the world's first futures contractd esigned to trade agricultural produce free of any genetic modification. It has been prompted by rising alarm among Japanese consumers about imported soyabeans used in traditional foods.
Free trade pacts
Mainichi Shimbun, 17 May 2000. A consensus is emerging within Japan's government and private sector in support of free trade agreements with Asia and Latin America. The trend toward regional economic integration accelerated in the 1990s. Three concommitmants to ensure the success of such a policy.
Wage revolution: Domestic jobs go as firms seek cheap labor in China
By Junichi Maruyama, et al., Yomiuri Shimbun, 7 March 2003. The spring labor offensive (shunto) and changes in the wage system. Japanese companies' investment in China totaled about 1.44 billion dollars in fiscal 2001, up 45 percent from the previous fiscal year. Meanwhile, foreign investment in Japan dropped about 38 percent.
A Globalising Japanese Retail Market
UNI Newsdesk, 23 June 2003. A handful of companies dominate the global retail and wholesale markets. In Japan the market was once closed to the presence of multinationals but that is no longer the case. Encourages the JSD and Japanese commercial workers unions to ensure that all companies have union representation.
Food self-sufficiency
Editorial, Mainichi Shimbun, 21 March 2004. Japan has the lowest food self-sufficiency ratio among the advanced industrialized nations and is the world's largest net importer of agricultural products. It is unlikely that this country will be able to remain so highly dependent on foreign producers for its food supply. The nation's low food self-sufficiency ratio raises pressing food security concerns.