Japan and America have a lot in common, but American culture has caused us to be much more scrappy when it comes to standing up to powerful figures and institutions.
Activist icon laments Toyota's easy ride in Japan(AP) KAMAKURA, Japan -- Japan's most famous consumer activist is watching the safety problems enveloping Toyota with a sense of frustration.
For decades, Fumio Matsuda took on the country's powerful carmakers, bringing his engineering expertise to landmark court battles that won damages for consumers and led companies to make their vehicles safer.
Yet his success has yet to inspire a new generation of Japanese consumer advocates, and few have been willing to stand up to Toyota in courts of law or public opinion.
Read more on Toyota's problems.
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