Japanese government - business collaboration and the operations of Japanese corporations in Asia: a telecommunications case

Abstract

This article examines the advancement of Japanese telecommunications carriers and equipment producers into Asia. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), the leading carrier in Japan, was restricted from entering international markets until recently, and this paper argues that the delay discouraged telecommunications equipment producers from promoting operations in Asia. While telecommunications-related firms gained some benefit in expanding business in Asia through official development assistance (ODA) programs, this advantage lessened as the programs became more open. It is often argued that the Japanese government and businesses collaboratively moved to Asia, but for the telecommunications sector the support from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) was not influential.