THE INDUSTRIAL-POLICIES OF THE USA AND JAPAN

This paper contrasts the effectiveness of the post-war industrial poli cies of Japan and the USA, with the success of the former predicated o n its government's timely intervention to aid a prostrate economy. Com petition from Japanese imports would threaten firms in key American au tomobile and semiconductor sectors and trigger protectionist measures and provoke government efforts aimed at managing international trade. These would have minimal impact, with the commercial recovery of the U S industries attributable to product innovations such as the sport uti lity vehicle and microprocessors for the burgeoning personal computer field.