1. Donald Trump has criticized the imbalance in auto trade between the United States and Japan. Discuss his perspective. Why does the imbalance exist? Would typical trade policy tools such as tariffs improve the imbalance? Explain. How might efforts to improve the imbalance actually hurt Americans?

2. How are differences between the culture in the United States and the culture in Japan reflected in the car purchasing process? How do these differences put U.S. automakers at a disadvantage in Japan?

3. How have Japanese automakers been able to find so much success in the United States? Why is the reverse not true? How does the response of U.S. automakers to the preferences of U.S. consumers put them at a disadvantage in Japan? Consider both the product and the message about the product in your response.