If a comparative advantage implies that a country can produce a product at a lower opportunity cost than another country then why do we see two countries often trading the same goods? For instance, for most agricultural products the U.S
has a comparative advantage. Japan, one of America's largest trading partners has a comparative advantage in the production of most economy cars. Explain what is going on here when we still see the U.S. exporting cars to Japan and the U.S. importing some foods from Japan.
First of all not all goods are homogeneous. The U.S. may import some food from Japan that either is not available here or is produced at lower cost or has a higher perceived or actual quality differential. On the other hand while Japan has a comparative advantage in the production of many economy cars there is a cost difference and a quality difference across makes a models that doesn't allow for a apples-to-apples comparison.
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A) consider all factors that can change. B) include all available information. C) attempt to duplicate the real world. D) make simplifying assumptions.