An Ideational Institutionalist Analysis of the Japanese Trade Policy-Making Process vis-à-vis the EC: Focus on the EC-Level Voluntary Export Moderation in 1983

The existing literature on trade conflicts between Japan and the European Community （EC）/the Union （EU） usually focuses interest-based bargaining Japanese actors. Moreover, studies Japan-EC/EU institutional development tend to analyze long-term changes from “issue-driven” relations amid “issue-seeking” political economic relations. However, few empirical conduct a deep analysis of process change in specific institutions during Japan-EC conflicts. Therefore, “micro” perspective, through case study EC-level voluntary export moderation agreed 1983, this investigates how an institution restraints （VERs） changed. Examining negotiations is important because was “turning point” as regards developing sectoral EC Member States level level.