Clinton Keeps Up The Tough Talk Of Sanctions Against Japanese

A determined President Clinton said Saturday he’s tired of “hitting a brick wall” in trying to open Japanese markets to American autos. He promised to press ahead with proposed sanctions against Tokyo.

“We are prepared to act and we will act soon if we must,” Clinton said in his weekly radio address.

Clinton renewed the threat of sanctions even as the dispute with Japan threatened to escalate into a full-scale trade war. Japanese officials are warning they might retaliate against proposed U.S. sanctions with punitive measures of their own.

Earlier this week, Clinton ordered an unfair trade complaint filed against Japan with the new World Trade Organization and authorized publication of a list of punitive tariffs against Japanese automobiles and parts.

“We don’t want a trade conflict with Japan, but we won’t hesitate to fight for a fair shake for American products,” Clinton said.

He said the United States had made considerable progress over the past two years in opening Japanese markets to a range of American goods and services from apples to telecommunications equipment.

“But when it comes to selling cars and auto parts to Japan, we are still hitting a brick wall,” he complained. “We’ve been hitting that brick wall long enough. Now we must act to protect and create American jobs.”

Foreign manufacturers make up about 30 percent of the American market for cars and car parts, but just 4 percent of Japan’s market, he said.

Clinton said that increasing American auto sales in Japan would have a positive ripple effect throughout the U.S. economy, and also benefit Japanese consumers “who today pay much higher prices because of their trade barriers.”

“Opening Japan’s markets is a winwin situation for everyone,” Clinton said. “But old habits and entrenched interests die hard.”

He said that 20 months of talks between U.S. and Japanese negotiators had failed to produce results.

While the president kept up the tough talk, there were indications of ongoing efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations.

Commerce Secretary Ron Brown has told Japanese officials he wants to meet Trade Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto in Paris to try once again to resolve the dispute, according to a report Saturday.