[Vigilanteman]

When I worked there, it was only 10% more, but the point is that the system worked. It had the happy side effect (for the local workers) of raising the wage level in the industry and attracting more local workers to go into industries once dominated by foreigners.

Financial market trading was one such industry. When I first went there for work in 1988, the bright young guys that Wall Street firms had rejected were trading for the big Japanese firms when Wall Street opened (10:30 pm Japan time). Not so much anymore.

It had the additional happy side effect (for the foreign workers like me) that we were grateful to our host country for a splendid opportunity rather than resentful for being exploited.

[null and void]

It had the additional happy side effect (for the foreign workers like me) that we were grateful to our host country for a splendid opportunity rather than resentful for being exploited.

Nor were you resented by your coworkers for undercutting and taking jobs away from Japanese.