OTPIC Officially Retired    Conflict Research Consortium ARTICLE
SUMMARY  "The 1971 U.S.-Japan Monetary Crisis"   Raymond Cohen
"The 1971 U.S.-Japan Monetary Crisis," Selection from: Raymond
Cohen, Negotiating Across Cultures: Communication Obstacles in
International Diplomacy, (Washington, D.C.: United States
Institute of Peace Press, 1991), pp. 52   The 1971 U.S.-Japan
monetary crisis illustrates the effectiveness of taking
differing cultural communication styles into account. In 1971
the U.S. was trying to persuade a reluctant Japan to revalue its
currency. Japanese political decision making values consensus
building. Culturally their negotiating style is low key and
relationship based. Japanese negotiators do not react well to
aggressive pressure tactics.  Secretary of the Treasury John
Connally accommodated the Japanese style. His first visit was
devoted to building relationships. "Wisely, Connally made no
attempt on this visit to negotiate, let alone put pressure on
his hosts, but insisted that his ai