Japan's Postwar Trade Protection and Industrial Policy (1945–1990)

1. Occupation begins and Japan loses wartime trade controls

   Aug 15, 1945Labels: Allied occupation, Foreign trade

   • Britannica
   • METI History

2. Single exchange rate set at ¥360 per dollar

   Apr 25, 1949Labels: Fixed exchange

   • METI History
   • Yen History

3. MITI created to steer trade and industry

   May 25, 1949Labels: MITI, Industrial policy

   • METI History
   • MITI

4. Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Act enacted

   Dec 1, 1949Labels: Foreign Exchange, Trade licensing

   • Law Translation
   • METI History

5. Japan Development Bank established to finance priority industries

   Apr 1, 1951Labels: Japan Development

   • DBJ History
   • METI History

6. Japan joins IMF, supporting managed external integration

   Aug 13, 1952Labels: IMF membership

   • IMF Japan
   • METI History

7. Japan joins GATT and faces pressure to liberalize

   Jan 1, 1955Labels: GATT accession

   • MOFA Bluebook
   • METI History

8. JETRO launched to accelerate export promotion

   Jan 1, 1958Labels: JETRO, Export promotion

   • JETRO Profile
   • FAS JETRO

9. Income Doubling Plan links growth to exports

   Oct 1, 1960Labels: Income Doubling

   • Income Plan
   • NDL Archives

10. Japan joins OECD, deepening liberalization commitments

    Jan 1, 1964Labels: OECD membership

    • MOFA OECD
    • OECD Japan

11. Yen shifts to floating amid global currency turmoil

    Feb 14, 1973Labels: Floating yen

    • RIETI
    • GWU Archive

12. U.S.–Japan auto export restraints mark “managed trade” era

    May 1, 1981Labels: Auto export, Managed trade

    • Toyota History
    • UPI Archive

13. Plaza Accord accelerates yen appreciation and policy shifts

    Sep 22, 1985Labels: Plaza Accord

    • Plaza Accord
    • FT Background

14. U.S.–Japan Semiconductor Agreement targets market access

    Sep 2, 1986Labels: Semiconductor Agreement

    • Semiconductor
    • MITI Background

15. Structural Impediments Initiative reframes trade conflict

    Jul 1, 1989Labels: Structural Impediments

    • CRS SII
    • SII Report

16. SII Final Report closes the 1945–1990 policy arc

    Jun 28, 1990Labels: SII Final

    • SII Report
    • JSTAGE SII