Japan and the United States should shift the focus of their economic relationship away from coping with individual trade issues and toward creating a more business-friendly environment, according to a still-classified Foreign Ministry report.
The draft report, which was obtained Saturday by The Japan Times, says that this environment can be achieved by harmonizing legal systems and coordinating competition and other policies. The report stresses the need for the two countries to establish a new framework to discuss specific measures to promote competition between their private firms.
The new framework should not be limited to government officials. It should also include corporate executives and academics from the two countries, the report says.