Wall Street Journal (December 22)
Two partners in Bain & Company’s Tokyo office write “Japan’s marketplace isn’t a monolith.” They believe the cosmetics business provides “glimpses of what a better Japanese economy would look like.” During the past decade, cosmetics have benefited from deregulation such as the elimination of manufacturer’s recommended prices and relaxed procedures with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. “These reforms have had dramatic implications. By spurring new and dynamic competition, deregulation unleashed a refreshing spirit of innovation in an industry that had grown stagnant.” The authors believe companies, consumers and Japan’s economy have benefited because the “more competitive market forces companies to think more creatively about consumers’ needs.”
Tags: Competition, Costmetics, Deregulation, Tokyo
Global Times (December 17)
As Beijing moves to ease congestion by restricting sales of autos, overseas news outlets are noting this story which advocates relocating the capital. “Traffic jams and environmental problems in Beijing are leading some experts to revisit a decades-long proposal for China to relocate its capital to Central China or another part of the country.” Other factors favoring a move involve limited drinking water and the need to boost regional development. Many, however, view any such move as impractical and unlikely.
Tags: Beijing, Capital, Environment, Relocation, Traffic jams