1. Introduction

After having observed the two big poles of the US and the EU, that have already given birth to an extensive literature, it appeared that it might be of interest to examine the case of a third country with a similar level of political and economic development, preferably different from the Anglosphere, for a better and contrasting perspective. Moreover, the focus would be on firms active on the international and global scene, that is, an international business (IB) angle, and not on domestic affairs. In the EU or the US, this distinction is often blurred since the presence of international companies and the weight of FDIs are substantial, with the participation of foreign firms in political life a long-established reality. In this context, Japan seemed to offer an interesting study field and a gap to be filled.