Japan's Large Scale Retail Store Law: a cause of concern for food exporters?

The Large Scale Retail Store Law has been a feature of the Japanese distrib ution system in one form or another for almost 40 years. It has been viewed by critics as a form of non-tariff barrier and an impediment to imports. O thers view the Large Scale Retail Store Law as just another part of a distr ibution system that fits in, and has sen ed Japanese society well. Reforms planned for the distribution system are likely to benefit Japanese agricult ure just as much as foreign suppliers to the Japanese market. (C) 2000 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.