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Empirical Analysis of the National Treatment Obligation Under the WTO: The Case of Japanese Shochu

Author

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  • Naoshi Doi

    (Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo)

  • Hiroshi Ohashi

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo)

Abstract

The national treatment obligation, along with the most favored nation obligation, is an important principle of non-discrimination adopted by theWorld Trade Organization. It requires that foreign products be treated no less favorably than national products. This paper empirically examines the 1996 WTO recommendation that a Japanese distilled alcoholic beverage, shochu , be classed as a "directly competitive or substitutable product" with regard to other distilled drinks, and thus that not taxing similarly be in violation of its national treatment obligation. Demand estimates obtained from a random-coefficient discrete-choice model reveal that a substitution pattern of shochu is far more complicated than that presumed by the WTO. Upon the WTO recommendation, Japan made all distilled alcoholic beverages be taxable at the same level in 2000. Our simulation analysis indicates that the revised tax rates improved but did not maximize Japanese national welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Naoshi Doi & Hiroshi Ohashi, 2012. "Empirical Analysis of the National Treatment Obligation Under the WTO: The Case of Japanese Shochu ," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-834, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    • Handle: RePEc:tky:fseres:2012cf834
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Kamal Saggi & Nese Sara, 2018. "National Treatment At The Wto: The Roles Of Product And Country Heterogeneity," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Kamal Saggi (ed.), Economic Analysis of the Rules and Regulations of the World Trade Organization, chapter 3, pages 46-75, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    5. Sumeet Gulati & Devesh Roy, 2008. "National Treatment and the optimal regulation of environmental externalities," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(4), pages 1445-1471, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Takechi, Kazutaka, 2020. "Do domestic producers benefit from safeguards? The case of a Japanese safeguard on Chinese vegetable imports in 2001," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • L66 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Food; Beverages; Cosmetics; Tobacco
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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