From: underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe)
Subject: Re: Japan/US comparison
Organization: Miners for a Heart of Gold
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 92 19:51:40 GMT

In article <Bw0q9I.2uK@ncifcrf.gov> masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov (Michiaki
Masuda) writes:
>In article <1992Oct11.200945.27185@leland.Stanford.EDU>
>underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:
>.....
>>Not every Japanese research program in the graduate schools is worse
>>than the corresponding American program, but it's _generally_ true.
>  Not every American has a lighter skin than Japanese, but it's _generally_
>  true.  What good do these generalizations do?

I am amazed that Mr. Masuda would equate these two comments.

I don't understand the relevance of his comment, but my comment is intended
to indicate that the quality of the American research at the graduate school
level is higher than that of Japanese research.  This issue is relevant
to national policymakers and the people of the USA.

>...
>>What Mr. Masuda feels doesn't change the fact that consumer prices
>>are higher in Japan than in the USA.
>   First, who tried to change the fact?
>   Secondly, if the higher the price the lower the living standard, USA's 
>living standard would be lower than that of many third world countries.

What sort of game is Mr. Masuda playing?

The point is that consumer prices are higher in Japan but that salaries
are not also higher.  A little bit of kindergarten-variety arithmetic
should indicate that such a situation results in a lower standard of
living.  By the way, salaries in Japan are lower than that in the USA,
but consumer prices are higher.

[and just for fun...]

From the San Franciso Chronicle, October 13,1992, 

  Output of Goods and Services by Typical Worker

  American:  $49,000
  Germany (before reunification):  $44,000
  Japan: $38,000
  Great Britain: $37,000

These figures are consistent with what I said about 20 posts ago.  Namely,
the productivity of American workers is much higher than that of Japanese
workers, who are about as productive as British workers.  (If you've ever
seen a Japanese programmer chicken-pecking his coding and commenting,
then you'll surely know 1 of the reasons for these results.)

>
>>>>  The closed markets, too, have driven
>>>>consumer prices to levels that are 20-30% more than prices of similar goods
>>>>in the USA.
>>>   Which was partially effective in stimulating the domestic economy.
>>Here's another typical Japanese comment.
>   Because I'm a typical Japanese... oh well, maybe not.
>>  It partly evades the inequity
>>of closed markets and puts a positive spin on it.
>   I don't understand the point. Would you rephrase it with more plain
>expression?

Sure.

"The closed Japanese markets constitute unfair gamesmanship.  If the
Japanese are justified in 'stimulating the domestic economy', then America
is justified in 'stimulating the domestic economy' in just the same
way as the Japanese."

>   "Living standard" no imi wo oshiete kuremasenka.

Don't ask Kenichi Ohmae for the answer to this question; he knows not
of what he speaks.

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Copyright 1992.                 Disclaimer:  1 + 1 = 3 | San Jose, California.
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american