During the last half of the 1980s, Japanese Business expansion into the world was

based
upon Japan’s frenzied real estate market and the inflated values of the Tokyo Stock
Exchange. However, both of the markets have collapsed now. Owing to the long-term
interest rate up from 5% to 7%, Japanese companies are not able to sell large
quantities of
high-quality goods at a very low profit margin. Besides this, other pressures come
from the
shareholders asking for a better return on investments, from Japan’s trading
partners for
the restraints on its belligerent trade practices and from its citizens for a
reduction in their

working hours.