Japan has carried out aggressive protectionism for decades, seeing the economy not as an end in itself, but as an instrument or statement of national power. 'Business is War', and so forth.
Japanese government intervention has certainly 'kept jobs at home': but in so doing they have crushed their own economy and spent/re-hypothecated the money of their own people subjects.
2013 will be the year that the decades-long 'success story' of Japanese protectionism is finally revealed for what it is: a monumental act of socialist hubris that will wipe out the life-savings of everyone in Japan.
Keep dreaming. Japan is a great place to live, very low crime, public schools are still good and prosperous despite the propaganda you have heard. Some this propaganda is from the Japanese trying to poor mouth their economic situation so that others are not so envious. Japan would not be this way without protectionism. The Koreans and Chinese are doing great with protectionism.
Like I said. Japan, Taiwan and Korea are hi-IQ nations. They don’t believe in silly Anglo-American BS like free trade with the NAFTA and GATT rubbish we are saddled with today.
Plus Japan does not promote entrepreneurship like this country does..