Imagine that a European leader invaded England and deposed the legitimate head of state, leaving a Dutchman in charge of the country. If you didn’t know any better, you might think this is an overwrought caricature of what the European Union was supposed to bring to British affairs, at least pre-Brexit; that story sounds far worse than the regulations, taxes …

It seems that barely a week goes by these days without a titan of Japan Inc. falling on hard times. Shareholders are gripped by a sense of dread that the great corporate leaders that helped build the world’s third-largest economy are losing their grip. The fear is spreading to even the best-run companies. While those emotions are understandable, investors would …

The unexpectedly large fine the European Commission has slapped on Google—€2.4 billion—is evidence that the search giant’s relationship with European regulators is now a vicious circle of escalation. Google’s reluctance to give up any revenue from its fastest-growing ad format may lead to significant, unpredictable losses in its biggest market outside the US. The case in which competition commissioner Margrethe …