In the late 1980s, I almost went bankrupt—not from mismanagement
of my company, as the company was growing by leaps and bounds, but
from the yen strengthening from 280 yen against the U.S. dollar to 150 yen
to the U.S. dollar in less than 90 days. My cost of production doubled over
a period of 90 days as the Japanese yen kept numerically falling and falling.
The yen was increasing in value against the U.S. dollar as it dropped in
price until it stabilized around 140 to 150 yen to the dollar. That is why
products made from Japanese firms such as Sony and Sanyo doubled in
price back in the late 1980s. That shift in economy opened the doors
of opportunity for many U.S. manufacturers to now compete with the
Japanese. It also forced the Japanese to start manufacturing their products
here in the United States