reuters/test/14912

JAPAN GIVEN LITTLE HOPE OF AVOIDING U.S. SANCTIONS
  A top U.S. Official said Japan has little
  chance of persuading the U.S. to drop threatened trade
  sanctions, despite the efforts of a Japanese team that left for
  Washington today.
      Michael Armacost, Under Secretary of State for Political
  Affairs, was asked at a press conference whether Japan's moves
  to boost its domestic economy and open its markets could
  persuade the U.S. Not to impose tariffs on Japanese imports
  said, and replied: "...It is probably too early for the figures
  to demonstrate that the situation has turned around and to
  permit the result you have described."
      Armacost said the U.S. Hopes Japan will take steps to lift
  its domestic economy and reduce dependence on exports, remove
  barriers to imports and settle outstanding trade issues.
      "There are obvious problems at the moment in the trade area,
  but we do not wish those problems to divert attention from
  important areas of cooperation that continue to exist on
  security and political issues," he said.
      "The question is whether through cooperative actions between
  our governments we can reduce the (trade) imbalance or whether
  Congress takes action to reduce it through protectionist
  legislation," he said.