WASHINGTON -- The main purpose of my visit to Washington at the beginning of 2003 was to carry out discussions on U.S. perspectives, policies and strategies for the Doha Development Round, in particular, and global economic policy in general. Meetings were held with U.S. government departments, foreign embassies, international organizations (including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the International Finance Corporation), academic institutions, think tanks, research institutes and the editorial offices of foreign-policy publications.

In all of these discussions Japan was conspicuous only by its absence. A few of my interlocutors included people well acquainted with Japan, who nevertheless all asked the same question: "Why is Japan so paralyzed?" And, as they all emphasize, it is not just paralysis at the policy level, but also, with very few exceptions, at the intellectual level.

Early January saw the publication of the A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine Globalization Index. The index is based on four main criteria: political engagement, technology, economic integration and personal contact (international travel, international telephone traffic, etc.). Out of 61 countries, with Ireland in first place and Iran in last place, Japan is ranked 35th, between Botswana and Uganda.