NGO builds bridges between Japan, U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Most Americans still think of Japan as having a "weak" economy. Japan's reputation in the United States from an economic standpoint has not fully recovered from the bursting of the 1980s' "bubble."

The Japan Society, a nongovernmental organization (NGO), is working to change existing American misconceptions of the current Japanese economy. After all, Japan's economy is now on the rise. As it has also undergone a process of significant transformation, American companies have been finding it much easier to break into the Japanese economy.

Japanese technology has regained its vigor and is contributing to the overall strength of the Japanese economy. In addition, Japan has benefited from the deregulation of a number of Japanese industries, allowing Japanese markets to become more open and competitive throughout the world.