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Abstract:
The rapid growth of international trade in recent decades has been widely documented. It has been accompanied by transformation of the composition of trade and patterns of trade. This is especially the case for "intra-product" trade and the rise of cross-country production networks. With the aid of newly available data, this paper documents and assesses the production-sharing operations of Japanese and U.S. multinationals in East Asia and Latin America. Vertical FDI flows from both countries into East Asia have grown rapidly along with trade in parts and components, while multinational activities in Latin America have continued along more traditional lines of horizontal investment and trade, designed mainly to serve local markets. This evolution towards new forms of organization and behavior has important implications for economic growth and development in emerging economies and for the welfare in all participating nations.

Fragmentation, production networks, vertical integration, multinationals

Abstract:
The international production and distribution networks consist of vertical production chains and distribution networks extended across a number of countries. This paper claims that the international production and distribution networks in East Asia present distinctive characters in their significance in the regional economy, their geographical extensiveness involving a large number of countries in the region, and their sophistication of both intra-firm and arm's-length relationships across different firm nationalities. The paper starts from reviewing crucial changes in policy framework observed in the developing East Asian countries a decade ago and sketching the theoretical thoughts explaining the mechanics of international production and distribution networks. Then, the empirical part of the paper examines the micro data of Japanese corporate firms to make a closer look at the nature of networks through the pattern of FDI after analyzing overall trade patterns of the major East Asian countries to confirm the importance of international trade of machinery parts and components. In addition, the paper quantifies the magnitude of economic activities of Japanese firms through different channels of transactions, using the firm nationality approach. The last part of the paper discusses policy implication of the networks.

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Abstract:
This paper utilizes micro-panel data for firms located in Japan and examines differences in corporate performance between foreign-owned and domestically-owned firms in the 1990s. We find that foreign-owned firms not only reflect superior static characteristics, but also achieve faster growth. Moreover, foreign investors appear to invest in firms that may not be immediately profitable, but those that are potentially the most profitable in the future. There is also no evidence that foreign investor is foot-loose. These imply that foreign investors bring useful firm-specific assets into the Japanese market, which may work as an effective catalyst for necessary structural reform.

Abstract:
This paper conducts a Cox-type survival analysis of Japanese corporate firms using census-coverage data collected by METI. A study of exiting firms confirmed several characteristics of Japanese firms in the 1990s. First, excessive internalization in the corporate structure and activities is harmful to corporate survival. Having too many establishments and affiliates weakens corporate performance. Efficient concentration on core competences increases the probability of survival. Second, global commitment helps Japanese firms be more competitive and more likely to survive. However, the channels of a firm's global commitment must be carefully selected. Small firms can benefit from exporting activities, though having foreign affiliates or conducting foreign outsourcing might aggravate their performance. Large firms, on the other hand, can conduct foreign direct investment and foreign outsourcing to possibly enhance the probability of their survival. Third, while corporate performance affects the choice of exits for affiliate firms, it does not affect the survival/exit of independent firms; suggesting the possible malfunctioning of the market mechanisms in the exits of independent firms. Fourth, we do not find any statistically significant evidence that firms with foreign shareholders are more likely to exit; there is little evidence of foot-loose behavior among foreign companies.

Abstract:
This paper applies the nationality-adjusted net sales and value added framework proposed in Baldwin and Kimura (1996) to Japan. Despite possibly large estimation errors due to statistical deficiencies, the framework is very useful for analyzing the relationship of the Japanese economy to the world economy. We find that Japan is special in the following four aspects. First, Japanese-owned firms have become increasingly dependent on the marketing activities of their foreign affiliates, rather than depending on cross-border exports by parent firms located in Japan. Second, the much smaller activities of Japanese affiliates of foreign firms (JAFF) relative to those of foreign affiliates of Japanese firms (FAJF) are apparent in terms of sales, value added, and employment, at both the macroeconomic and sectoral levels. Third, Japanese net sales to foreigners are consistently larger than cross-border net exports of Japan. Fourth, among the activities of FAJF, the importance of commercial FAJF is particularly large; these commercial FAJF handle a large portion of Japanese exports and imports. The paper concludes by discussing a number of statistical improvements required by the Japanese government in order to apply our analytical framework more rigorously.

Abstract:
In order to better capture the close relationship between firms' cross-border trading activities and the sales and purchasing activities of their foreign affiliates, this paper proposes supplementary accounting formats that classify cross-border and foreign affiliate activities on an ownership basis, in contrast to the residency approach followed in the balance-of-payments accounts. One format combines net cross-border sales by Americans to foreigners, net sales by foreign affiliates of U.S. firms to foreigners, and net sales of U.S. firms to U.S. affiliates of foreign firms to yield a figure that indicates net sales by Americans to foreigners. Another accounting format measures the value-added embodied in cross-border and foreign affiliate activities on an ownership basis. U.S. cross- border and foreign affiliate activities based on these two approaches are presented and analyzed for the period, 1987-1992. In addition, data by industry are presented in these formats.

Abstract:
This paper reviews the eighth Trade Policy Review (TPR) for Japan. It begins with an appreciation of its fair and well-balanced work in updating knowledge on the progress of policy reform in Japan. The TPR confirms the recovery of the Japanese economy with some notable improvements in its policy environment, the example of which is competition policy. On the other hand, there still remain notable trade impediments, particularly in agriculture. Some agricultural products are still heavily protected by complicated border measures. This paper provides some supplementary information, namely that the domestic production of most of the heavily protected products, with the exception of rice, are highly concentrated geographically, suggesting the politico-economic background. The rise of regionalism is mentioned as another topical issue in Japan though the characteristics and significance of free trade agreement networking by Japan are not fully discussed by the TPR. The TPR praises Japan's effort in providing the generalised system of preferences (GSP), but this paper offers a somewhat sceptical view of the role of GSP as a useful tool for developing countries. Overall, the TPR for Japan is assessed as a good starting point for dealing with the remaining issues on international commercial policies in Japan.