YEUTTER ALMOST SURE JAPAN WILL NOT RETALIATE
U.S. Trade Representative Clayton
Yeutter said he was almost sure Japan would not retaliate
against tariffs President Reagan slapped on 300 mln dlrs of
Japanese electronic goods today.
    "I'd say it's 99 plus pct sure that it (the tariffs) will
not provoke a retaliation on American products," Yeutter told
Cable News Network.
    "Japan has far too much at stake in this relationship (with
the United States) to seriously entertain thoughts of
retaliation," Yeutter said.
    Earlier today, Reagan 
imposed 100 pct tariffs on a range of
Japanese goods in retaliation for Japan's alleged violation of
a bilateral pact governing semiconductor trade.
    Yeutter did say that U.S. farm products would be targeted
if Tokyo decided to hit back.
    "If they (Japan) were to retaliate, it would probably be on
something like American agricultural products," he said.
    "But I really think the chances of that happening are
between slim and none," he added.
 Reuter
