What is Japan’s fundamental change in foreign policy?

It is hard to argue, however, that they suggest any fundamental change in Japan’s national strategy. While Japan liberalized its barriers to foreign imports, for example, it did so only grudgingly and incrementally, with key industries protected until they could compete internationally. In politically sensitive sectors like agriculture, Japan has limited itself to allowing increased levels of imports rather than agreeing to liberalization. Japan’s decision in late 1990 to align itself with the European Community rather support the U.S. led effort to reduce agricultural trade barriers and subsidies- despite its awareness that EC opposition would doom the effort in any event-reinforced the perception that Japan is not a force for trade liberalization.Japanese strategic objective of fostering economic growth and maintaining Japanese industrial competitiveness retains a critical influence on Japan’s foreign policies. As a general statement, this objective dictates responsiveness to U.S. entreaties for greater trade and financial liberalization but in ways that minimize its domestic impact.

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