As the US government's stance became clear, Japan's homegrown TRON OS was forced to suffer a setback. Its influence is said to have remained in household appliances and electronic devices around the world, with statements by Son Masayoshi (孫正義) and the impact of Japan-US trade friction also attracting attention.
TRON, a homegrown operating system, reportedly came under severe scrutiny in the context of Japan-US trade friction after the US government singled it out in its annual report on trade barriers. Domestic manufacturers are said to have interpreted the development as “the US government's anger” and become reluctant to remain involved in TRON development.
In June 1989, an incorporated foundation considering specifications for school PCs reportedly abandoned plans to make TRON the standard specification. The prevailing view is that the US government's report triggered the decision.
Ultimately, the US government did not apply Super 301 to TRON, but Japanese manufacturers reportedly scaled back their TRON-related initiatives following the reports. Although this did not amount to a repudiation of TRON itself, reputational damage originating in the United States spread within Japan, cutting short the prospects for an operating system that could serve as a rival platform.
At the time, Microsoft's MS-DOS was the dominant operating system in the PC market, and TRON had attracted attention as a rival to MS-DOS. One account says, however, that its development lost ground as a result of Japan-US trade friction.
The effects of this series of events are also said to have continued indirectly in the household appliance and electronic device sectors.