Wisemen's Group

Summary of Wisemen's Group

Known formally as the Japan-United States Economic Relations Group, a semi-official committee consisting of four members each from Japan and the United States which considers economic relations between the two countries and makes recommendations to their governments. The group was created by joint agreement between President Carter and the late Prime Minister Ohira in 1979. While the pronouncements of the group are not binding, the influential character of the persons appointed to serve and the group's utility as a sounding board for topics which cannot be addressed conveniently at the official level, have permitted the group to influence Japan-United States economic issues.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)