Has Japan Lost the Auto Race?

The fertilizer connection you haven't thought about

There's another hidden story within this story, which could hit your grocery bill just as hard as higher gas prices: fertilizers.

The Middle East and North Africa region — what we call MENA — is crucial for global fertilizer production. The region produces about 30% of the world's nitrogen fertilize

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There was a second feature underlying the automakers’ success: the industrial policy pursued by the Japanese government, through its Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). It pursued a strategy of exporting cars to developed countries, guided by a devalued currency and relatively cheaper wages.

MITI provided ample amounts of artificial

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Because of its peculiar history, the Japanese auto market was marked by the lack of a strong monopoly. Its auto sector, for instance, always featured a range of firms — like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru, and Suzuki. They refused to merge even when asked to do so by the state. The ecosystem was marked by a fine balance between co

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