Japan's dramatic transformation from economic success to economic stagnation offers important policy lessons to advanced countries everywhere that are struggling with stagnation. The term 'Japanization' is often used by economists to describe long-term stagnation and deflation. Symptoms include high unemployment, weak economic activity, interest rates near zero, quantitative easing and population aging. In the global context, what can governments do to mitigate the downward trends experienced by Japan? This judicious volume investigates in depth the causes of Japan's 'lost decades' versus the...

The yen is now one of the major currencies freely traded in the world, and yet, many Japanese exporters take on a currency risk by invoicing in US dollars. In this book, the authors examine why this is the case, particularly for those exporters who have a strong presence in global markets. Managing Currency Risk enhances our understanding of exporters' behaviour by analysing the key factors that influence their choice of invoice currency. Detailed research based on unique data sets is used to highlight how firm size, product competitiveness, intra/inter-firm trade and the geography of...