| JAPANESE OFFICIAL TAKES DATA TO MICROCHIP TALKS | |
| Ministry of International Trade and | |
| Industry (MITI) Vice Minister Makoto Kuroda leaves for | |
| Washington today with data he hopes will refute U.S. Charges | |
| Japan has violated a pact on microchip trade. | |
| A three-man Japanese trade team is already in Washington | |
| laying the groundwork for talks between Kuroda and Deputy U.S. | |
| Trade Representative Michael Smith aimed at persuading the U.S. | |
| Not to impose tariffs on certain Japanese products. | |
| But Kuroda said he is taking no new proposals. "I have | |
| nothing in my briefcase except an explanation of the current | |
| situation," Kuroda told the daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun. | |
| Kuroda said the U.S. Decision was based on incorrect data | |
| and an exaggerated sense of MITI's power to control market | |
| forces. "The U.S. Has excessive expectations. To stabilise | |
| supply-demand relations which have been disrupted by excess | |
| inventories since 1985 will take some time," he said. | |
| Kuroda also laid part of the blame for low U.S. Chip sales | |
| in Japan on a lack of effort by American firms here. | |
| He said if he fails in talks tomorrow and Friday to | |
| forestall sanctions, he will seek further talks with U.S. Trade | |
| Representative Clayton Yeutter. U.S. Officials said this week's | |
| talks are unlikely to delay imposition of tariffs. | |