JAPAN MUST TRY HARDER TO CUT SURPLUS - MINISTER
Japan must try harder to reduce its trade
surplus or the yen will come under renewed upward pressure,
Economic Planning Minister Tetsuo Kondo.
    He told a press luncheon he hoped Japan could cut its
current account surplus by some 10 billion dlrs a year until it
is reduced to some 50 to 60 billion dlrs. In the fiscal year
ended March 31 the surplus totalled 93.76 billion dlrs, or
about 4.5 pct of GNP.
    The 6,000 billion yen economic stimulation package the
government unveiled late last month would help slash Japan's
current account surplus by five to six billion dlrs, he said.
 REUTER
