Toshiyuki Matsuura

Exchange rate volatility and MNCs' production and distribution networks: The case of Japanese manufacturing MNCs

This paper empirically examines the impacts of exchange rate volatility on the location choice by Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) and their intra-firm trade. We use affiliate-level data for Japanese MNCs for 1995, 1998 and 2001. We found that high exchange rate volatility discourages the establishment of an affiliate by MNCs. Moreover, the high exchange rate volatility causes the shift from inter-firm to intra-firm transactions. These findings imply the importance of maintaining a stable exchange rate environment in order for MNCs to expand their production and distribution networks.

Complex FDI in japanese multinationals

Intermediate input trade is regarded as an important contributory factor in explaining the increase in world trade in recent years. This timely book presents, for the first time, meticulous empirical analyses of the growth of input trade, and includes detailed studies that capture the main features and characteristics of production networks in East Asia.