why america is compelled to import Japanese goods at higher prices and why not from Asian countries at lower?
82504
A certain quality and safety standard has to be maintained for goods to be imported in the US.  Other countries are probably nor meeting that criteria yet.  There are large quantity of goods being imported from China, so your statement is not entirely true either.
1043674
Exports are good for the economy because they bring an influx of new cash into the American Economy.\n\nWhen you buy American you keep your dollars so to speak in your own community and you keep passing them around that’s also good for the economy.\n\nThe current problem is that we import more than we export meaning more American dollars are going overseas than staying here.  The reason this is not good is our currency has greater value than say Chinese Yen it takes many yen to make a dollar so you don't have a lot of buying power if you have Yen.  This is why China and many other 3rd work countries work had to sell us goods because they get American Dollars that go further than Yen or whatever currency.  This is all not bad over all if there is a balance of imports and exports.  The problem is almost nothing is made in America anymore and the most expensive things are not made well.  But that’s for another question.\n\nDo I buy only American goods?  No! I would be stupid to buy goods which will break or fail that would cost only slightly more if I buy imported goods.  Who can argue that a Toyota is better than a Chevy But that wasn't always true.  The fist Toyotas in this country in 1965 were terrible door handles fell off all kinds of problems but they got better because the Japanese knew that if wasn't better then what Americans could by then they would never sell a car here.  Now Toyota is the largest domestic car make in America.
244444
The US had been putting political and economic pressure on Japan to end their occupation of Mongolia and parts of China, and withdrawing their troops.  The Japanese weren't going to do this, and were actually planning on expanding the scope of their war in China.  However, they needed more resources to do so, and the nation of Japan is almost totally dependent on importing natural resources such as rubber, iron, oil, etc.  They were considering invading the British and Dutch possessions in the East Indies in order to obtain the resources they needed, and it became imperative for them to do so once the US cut off exports of the resources they needed.\n\nSo, faced with needing more resources to simply run the country at a normal level, much less support the ongoing war in China, they decided to take the East Indies possessions they needed.  However, they realized that this would start a war with the Dutch and English (who were already involved with fighting Germany and didn't pose much threat), yet even more importantly would probably see the US enter into war against them.  Therefor, they decided to launch a preemptive attack against the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor to prevent it from interferring with their operations.  They hoped to do enough damage to prevent the USN from interferring at least until they captured the possessions they needed, and also hoped that the American people would be appalled by the large loss of life and wouldn't have the stomach to start a war with Japan, and would then simply accept the status qou at that time.  However, as we all know, it didn't work out that way.\n\nIgnore all the answers involving conspiracy theories that we let Japan attack Pearl Harbor just so we could enter the war.  They're so ludicrous they're not even worth thinking about.
520486
Why should it? I look at where things are made from before I buy them. Don't you? Its called free trade. What our country is based upon. America was built by the Chinese also, think about the first railroad system bringing on the industrial revolution. There is a lot more to America than you care to know. Which is very little. Many Germans fought FOR the US also as did many Chinese. Not all are as you say.\nYou are blinded by hate.
953553
It means imports will cost more and our exports will cost less in other countries. So it should be bad for consumers but good for businesses that export things.
639508
The bottom line is it is about the all mighty dollar.  Maintaining access to foreign goods means that our government feels a need to exhaust our resources to "make nice" with other countries to help them with their strife--at the sacrifice of our own needs.  Sure there are some of the richest people on the planet here, but not all.  There are also a lot of severely impoverished as well.  We need to get our priorities straight as a nation.
372701
First of all, just in case you are unsure a trade surplus is when a country exports more goods (in value) than they import.\n\nThis can be caused by many factors, one of which is the exchange rate between the two countries' currencies. For example, the U.S. dollar depreciates in value against the Japanese Yen. Therefore, the Japanese now get more U.S. product for their Yen than before and may import more American product. On the other hand, Japanese product may be more expensive for Americans and they may not import quite as much. This results in a possible trade surplus for the U.S.\n\nThis is just a simple example of how one factor, currency exchange rates, can affect trade between countries.\n\nI hope this helps.
403181
It limits competition. Meaning people might have to pay more for less, because another country make the cheaper and better version of the product. Although it is used to help support the domestic economy.
780577
it is cheaper to use foreigners that's why companies do it, I agree they should make prod in America or at least pay the foreigners in other countries the same amount they would pay an American. so sad how some big business Americans USE other people and take advantage of them
787519
There are many issues here.\n1) Imports may be cheeper and still be as good or better.\n2) Importing goods is "exporting" jobs. Can lead to unemployment and downturns in the local economy.\n3) Limiting imports stops local firms from improving production processes as they make good profits under their production.\n4) Sometimes imported goods don't have the warranty and after sales service as local goods.\n5) Importing from one country often opens the door to exporting to the exporting country.\n\nCan be advantageous but has disadvantages as well.
490040
the U.S. stopped trading with Japan because Japan was an imperialist power which means they wanted to take control of China's resources and/or goods for their own profit.
610379
When I was young, all the cheap stuff was imported from Japan. Now a whole bunch of expensive stuff in imported from Japan. In the process, Japanese society has undergone a major transformation. I imagine the same will happen with China. Twenty years from now, the cheap stuff will probably be made in some other developing country because China's economy and ambitions will have grown. Even now, this is beginning to happen. Is the stuff from China worth buying? Some of it may represent a good value. A wise consumer considers each purchase carefully. Cheap doesn't always mean a bargain, if the product doesn't hold up.
1178248
Historically, they are an isolationalist society ordered by their emporer. The upside of these cultures  - it forces self sufficiency and produces an accountability amongst it's people to work together for common good. Their "seeking perfection in all they do" ethic, real or constructed, is a model for production practices respected around the world. The down side - it smothers "thinking outside the box" creativity and opportunity outside the rigidly controlled business class structure. I think the biggest reason there is little diversity in Japan is there is little percieved economic opportunity there. Less competition equals less initiative. What incentive is there for a foreigner to go there when they know they can't compete on an even playing field?
530591
The exact same reason why their smarter than we are. It's their culture. For many Americans, more than enough, our culture is believing that we have to spend $2000 on the new Gucci purse to look cool, but being smart and understanding how to make life easier is simply the Eastern way of living. We're molded to believe that everything matters on the outside, they're molded viewing life as art and understanding. And, no, Japanese aren't taking the American ideas it's the exact opposite. The Americans are trying to invade every freaking country that they can to stay above everyone else. If America didn't invest in other countries, then trust me, we'd be a 3rd. world country too. (And the Europeans basically came up with everything, if you look at, although he was a horrible person, all the Hitler did for medicine and technology.)And dude below, this isn't an opinion. THIS IS THE TRUTH! This is based on statistical studies and cultural understanding. I have many Asian friends that can't possibly believe it when they see blonde Betti, for instance, asking questions that they've known since forever. It's their tradition. Being smart and creating technology, in which technology is simply any tool to make life easier, is how they live. What the hell are you talking about opinion? This is how it goes, and obviously you're too sad to admit. Who doesn't know that Westerns are nearly naturally, if they follow their traditions, that Easterns?
338847
Easy. Comparative Advantage. It's all about technology and manufacturing. America is not the manufacturing powerhouse it was before the World War II. It just does not have the capabilities to match the Japanese anymore. We have molded ourselves into a more services-based economy, which is good for America in general, but bad for automobile companies like GE.
265269
I agree, and think Americans need to buy MUCH less foreign goods if they are complaining about the economy being so bad.  All these companies are moving to other countries for cheap labor!!!  Please support people like butcherboy, and buy less foreign goods.
460205
You can get a much better used domestic for the money than you can for an import. THis is due to the fact that most people will go for the used import (even though imports DO break down just as much as domestics) so there prices are usually higher.