He also admitted that America was then already very much afraid of further Japanese technical advances. Such freebies are now taken for granted and America comes back with more bluff. My position may draw some criticism in Japan, where it probably will be said that I am playing with dynamite in dealing with America in this fashion. It goes without saying that an equal partnership must be carried out without humiliating pressure or compromise as the result of such pressure. All we must do is play our cards wisely, playing our ace intelligently.
Japan is very poor at diplomatic tactics.
It is a wonder too me that Japan has failed to recognize that its initiatives are instrumental in the ultimate decision-making process in the international arena. His wife is an intellectual Keio University graduate, who prefers to live in Japan, forcing Glen to commute to Japan two or three times a month. On one occasion, I had dinner with him and asked him what America's next Japan-bashing scenario would entail. I have to use American pressure in order to accomplish a national objective, yet, I must admit that the distribution system is one of Japan's biggest headaches today. There is no question that the high prices in Japan are caused by the distribution system itself, which is made worse by Japanese politicians.