U.S., JAPANESE TRADE OFFICIALS OPEN TALKS
A senior Japanese trade official met
U.S. negotiators in an emergency effort to try to head off new
high American tariffs on Japanese semiconductor goods set to go
into effect on April 17.
     The vice minister of Ministry of International Trade and
Industry, Makoto Kuroda, flew in from Tokyo for the talks with
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Michael Smith.
    A second round of talks is set for tomorrow.
    U.S. officials have said Japan has failed to live up to its
semiconductor agreement with the U.S. and there was little that
could be done now to avert the 300 mln dlrs in tariffs.
 reuter
