Overview
The main subject of this research project for this period is the legal and economic analysis of international trade in cultural media products and relevant cross-border investment activities. Recently, in appealing for the necessity for the new growth strategy, it has been pointed out that Japan has competitive advantage in the export of cultural contents. The "Cool Japan" project has been launched as a specific attempt to utilize this advantage.
However, the protection of industries engaged in the production of cultural goods, such as cultural media products, or in the provision of relevant services is intricately related to issues that are of constitutional concern, such as those of national identity and the freedom of speech. For that reason, it is often argued that cultural goods and services should not be subject to trade and investment liberalization.
This research project aims to clarify problems in the current international trade rules in the context of "trade and culture" issues, and seek to identify the optimal rules governing international trade in cultural goods and services.
July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2013
Major Research Results
2013
RIETI Discussion Papers
- 13-J-065
"Can Trade in Services Negotiation Help? Promoting cross border transactions of cultural media" (KUNIMATSU Maki) - 13-J-059
"An Empirical Study on International Trade in Cultural Goods" (JINJI Naoto and TANAKA Ayumu) - 13-J-056
"Concept of Cultural Diversity in the Context of the WTO Agreement: Some thoughts on the treatment of content items and the relationship with the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity" (KAWASE Tsuyoshi) - 13-J-055
"'New' Cultural Diversity Policy in the Digital World: Net-neutrality regulation on bottleneck players" (TOJO Yoshizumi) - 13-J-051
"An Essay on the Relationship between 'Cool Japan' and Trade Policy" (MIHARA Ryotaro) - 13-J-025
"Cultural Policies under the Mechanism for Foreign Investment Protection" (ITO Kazuyori)
RIETI Policy Discussion Papers
- 13-P-017
"[WTO Case Review Series No.8] European Communities — Definitive Anti-Dumping Measures on Certain Iron or Steel Fasteners from China (WT/DS397): Dispute over the method of imposing anti-dumping duties on non-market economies" (ITO Kazuyori) - 13-P-015
"[WTO Case Review Series No.7] China—Measures Related to the Exportation of Various Raw Materials (DS394, DS395, DS398): A state of play and challenges of interpretation related to disciplines on export restraints" (KAWASHIMA Fujio) - 13-P-014
"[WTO Case Review Series No.6] United States—Measures Concerning the Importation, Marketing and Sale of Tuna and Tuna Products (DS381): Implications for future TBT disputes" (NAIKI Yoshiko) - 13-P-013
"[WTO Case Review Series No.5] United States—Measures Affecting the Production and Sale of Clove Cigarettes (DS406):The Relationship between Article 2.1 of TBT Agreement and GATT Article III:4" (NAIKI Yoshiko)