Just look at Japan: For nearly a decade, economists and analysts have talked of ripping apart the opaque alliance among government, business and banking leaders that runs Japan Inc. Their behind-the-scenes agreements to lend to inefficient and outmoded businesses are clearly undermining Japan's global competitiveness. Still, this system also produced the world's greatest post­World War II economic success story, providing millions of Japanese citizens with jobs and security. Little wonder then that Japan's government is reluctant to toss this formula aside.