U.S. - Japan Trade Relations, 1971-1989

Abstract

The period from 1971 to 1989 witnessed significant shifts and adjustments in U.S.–Japan relations. Notably, this era saw realignments within the security alliance, Japan’s economic rise, and its gradual assertion of international standing, accompanied by increasingly intense competition between the world’s two leading economies. Adopting a historical approach combined with international economic analysis, this article focuses on two core aspects: (1) the domestic and international context of both the United States and Japan, and (2) the dynamics of U.S.–Japan trade relations during the 1970s and 1980s. Through this dual lens, the study aims to examine the extent of economic competition, the policy responses of the United States, and Japan’s evolving position in its economic relationship with the United States between 1971 and 1989.