The proliferation of competition law in Asia: from forced adoption to an integration project

This chapter sets out the reasons why competition law spread in Asia. After detailing the forced adoption of competition law in Japan, which was the result of the post-Second World War economic policy of the United States, the chapter goes on to map out the different origins of the proliferation of competition law. Despite the fact that forced adoption, such as was seen in Japan, no longer occurs, pressure has been exerted on some countries to adopt a competition law. This pressure came through international organizations (International Monetary Fund or World Trade Organization) or through other countries’ foreign trade policies (free trade agreement). Some countries decided to embrace competition law for reasons that fit with their own economic reformation of the market. The last dash towards the proliferation of competition law in Asia has been through ASEAN, which suggested the adoption of competition law to achieve market integration within the ASEAN region.