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I've been confronted by Japanese protectionism in several ways. In the late 80's and early 90's I was helping in trying to introduce Some Texas agricultural products into Japan. The xenophobia and "buy Nippon" attitudes coupled with tariffs etc. were rediculous, especially since we were talking about a product that Japan didn't produce and yet there was a market. My first exposure though came through the stories of fellow students from China, Thailand, South Vietnam, and Korea. They provided example after example of the Japanese govt. paying private companies to sell products in those countries for prices far below the cost of manufacturing them. This was done to destroy fledgling companies in those countries. After all; why pay more for the same product just because it wasn't made locally. The end result was Japanese companies with strong bottom lines and full employment and no industry and no jobs throughout other parts of Asia. Once the competetion was gone, the cost of Japanese products would double or triple. Maybe things have changed now, but at that time my fellow students from Asian countries besides Japan All hated Japan with a passion.
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