The True Story Of The 1980s, When Everyone Was Convinced Japan Would Buy America

YoutubeBack To The Future 2The value of the Japanese dollar is falling again, now that new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to reinflate the country by instructing the country's central bank to make asset purchases.

It's now pretty inconceivable that a Japanese company would be able to snap up American corporate assets as investments.

In the eighties, it was a fact of life.

Starting with a relative trickle at the beginning of the decade, Japanese conglomerates went on an epic buying spree in America during the latter half of the decade after both countries agreed to revalue their currencies.

The trend became so widespread that the "corporate Japanese takeover" concept began leaking into American culture.

Via Google News, we now take you on a tour of this singular moment in the life of both countries...