Restructuring the regional distribution of FDI: The case of Japanese and US FDI

There have been numerous changes in the international economic environment for foreign direct investment (FDI) over the past decades. More than ever, the trend towards globalization has stimulated both firms and countries to establish closer cross-border economic linkages and interdependence throughout the world. This study finds evidence that there has been a convergence in the regional distribution pattern between Japanese and US manufacturing FDIs among six host regions in the period of 1976–1996. We also present evidence that this convergence can be accounted for by the converging responses to competitive advantages of the investing and host country firms, and of the resource endowments of investing and recipient nations.