The United States is one member of this 132 member international organization.
Under WTO laws, private business practices that constrain imports cannot be considered for rulings.
FUJI (a Japanese company with plants in the US) controls 70% of Japan's photographic film market.
Fuji has set up relationships with the four major film distributors in Japan that make it nearly impossible for Kodak to boost its 10% share of the Japanese market. (reference: News Analysis written by Beth Belton, USA Today, 8 Dec. 1997, page 14A)
What would happen if Kodak did the same thing in the US?
ANSWER: It's against the law!
Is this a level playing field?
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One figure to look at is the goods trade volume as calculated by the WTO.
Goods Trade Volume = total value of exports for all trading countries.
I could not find the raw data to compare the export volume of Japan and the United States. I'm sure the actual figures would be in favor of Japan.
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