商品詳細

This is an examination of the trade friction and relations between the United States and Japan, and how the differences of language, customs, culture and economic systems help perpetuate this political-economic friction. The book aims to provide an interdisciplinary analysis of the subject. It draws on research from anthropologists, intercultural communication researchers, linguists, sociologists and social psychologists as well as that of political scientists and economists. Each area offers material for impressionistic essays on Japan/US cultural and institutional differences. The study attempts to both identify and measure perceptual differences between Japanese and American opinion leaders regarding the large bilateral trade imbalances, the bilateral relationship and national negotiating styles, and data is used from surveys sent to 230 American and 230 Japanese opinion leaders, which show a sizeable bilateral perceptual gap exists. The survey sample was selected from business, government, acedemia and the media. Case studies focus on trade friction causal factors in three areas, the rice, automotive and semiconductor sectors. Finally, suggestions are offered on how the bilateral perceptual gap might be narrowed and trade friction diminished so that the structural sectional problems might more easily be addressed.