The Political Economy of Japanese Trade Policy

This edited volume identifies the main political and economic forces that have helped to shape Japanese trade policy in the post-war period. It offers a new integrative framework for analysing these forces, and identifies the sectoral and state interests – both domestic and external – that are reflected in Japanese trade policy. While the introductory chapter lays out the framework, individual chapters expand upon distinct themes, such as Japan's shift from multilateral to bilateral/regional Free Trade Agreement regimes; agricultural trade negotiations and reform; interest groups and the Trans-Pacific Partnership; the impact of trade policy on trade and investment flows; Japan's international production networks and its economic diplomacy; and how Japanese trade policy has helped to shape – and has been shaped by – developments in the regional economic and political environment. A valuable contribution to the field, this comprehensive study claims great depth and coverage in its exploration of Japanese trade policy.

Aurelia George Mulgan is Professor of Japanese Politics at the University of New South Wales, Canberra. She has published six books on Japanese politics and political economy and her publications have won the Ohira Memorial Prize (2001) and Toshiba Prize (2010).

Masayoshi Honma is Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics Department at the University of Tokyo, Japan. He holds a PhD from Iowa State University, USA, and his areas of expertise are agricultural and development economics.