Agents of Influence

TRW’s former director of policy analysis, Pat Choate, discussed his book, Agents of Influence: How Japan’s Lobbyists in the United States Manipulate America’s Political and Economic System. The premise of Mr. Choate’s work is that for over two decades the Japanese manipulation of the American system for their country’s benefit has been increasing. “Japanese strategy follows a simple and predictable pattern: protect your own domestic market from foreign penetration and capture as much of your competitor’s market share as possible,” said Mr. Choate. He pointed at America’s own former government officials, who get on the Japanese corporate payroll or become government advisers, as a major reason for Japan’s success. In 1981, “the stream became a flood” when President Carter’s administrators were out of office. He cited examples of important American politicians who are now key lobbyists for the Japanese system. close