Using pooled cross-section and time-series data for 17 manufacturing industries in Japan, this paper examines whether and how Japan’s comparative advantage in manufacturing changed over the period 1970 to 1995. The results show that physical and human capital were the main sources of...

In the postwar period Japanese foreign direct investment in Australia has played a key role in strengthening trading links between the two countries and influencing the industrial structure of Australia. This paper surveys the pattern and intensity of Japanese investment in the 1990s as well as...

Japan’s prolonged recession over the last five years has provided the impetus for regulatory reform and industry restructuring. Historically, the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Japan has been small for an economy of its size. The high degree of vertical integration and relatively...

The accession of both China and Taiwan to the World Trade Organization (WTO) had important implications for relations across the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan’s position in the regional economy although it did not fundamentally change trade policies by either side towards the other. Accession...

Since emerging as a leading industrial economy, Japan has played an important role in promoting Asia Pacific economic cooperation. Japan has been instrumental in every major initiative in economic cooperation in the region over the past three decades, including the Asia Pacific Economic...

Despite the strong growth in Australia’s exports to East Asia in the past decade, Australia has lost import share in that market. Not only has Australia lost share to developing East Asian competitors, it has lost share relative to other industrialised country suppliers. The main reasons for...

There has been a proliferation of proposals for bilateral free trade areas (FTAs) in East Asia in recent times. These initiatives fly in the face of the long-standing support of key players in the region such as Japan for the MFN-based non-discriminatory trading system and the commitment to...