Interesting thread going here..some very valid and viable points being made on both sides... Having been involved in internationl trade, for many, many, years, and for a period of time, specifically between the US and Japan , I know there are business pratices endeavored by both sides in getting "one up " on each other, it's about being in business to make money, not making friends......... Japan, despite what you read in the everyday press, is extrememly protectionist....Since they are an Allie, and a strong one at that, not much dirty laundry is aired publicly, for the masses, about broken trade agreements, currency manipulation, innacurate reporting of documentation, benign embargos, and the like ... cars and argriculture are the industries that are glaringly obvious...... Just ask Detroit, Texas Cattelmans Association, or, for that matter, the Hinodie Rice Combine in California....without going into global geopolitical agendas, and past deeds suffice it to say that each side has it's " talking points" in the proganda wars....Japan is winning the propaganda wars , as we speak... just a little statistic for ya.. Toyota cars sales in the US last year .... almost 50% of the cars sold here last year were imported..... from Japan... put on a level playing field, open trade borders, Japan would suffer greatly.. they know it, the US knows it, the world knows it .. and Japan plays that card from the deck every time.. Do they build good cars.. sure they do...but, for every 200,000 miles Japanese car story that is tossed around, the is an equivelant, US manufactured car story...