Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 31, 1990 TAG: 9003310175
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short
Japan, which accounted for nearly half of the $109 billion U.S. trade deficit last year, was accused of maintaining the most barriers, followed by the European Community, Canada, South Korea, India and Brazil.
Pressure has been building in Congress and in the administration to get the Japanese to relax trade barriers, and intensive negotiations have been under way regarding satellites, supercomputers and wood products.
The Japanese Embassy declined to comment. Hideaki Ueda, press counselor at the embassy, said officials had not had a chance to study the document.
The list, required by Congress, has been released annually for the past five years. Under the so-called Super 301 provision of 1988 trade legislation it has assumed greater importance as part of a process by which the United States designates "priority" countries and trade practices for intensive negotiations and possible retaliation.
The administration has until April 30 to designate the countries and practices that will be given trade-policy priority this year.
Japan, Brazil and India were designated as priority countries last year and face retaliation if barriers are not lifted by June 16. The retaliatory measures can include tariffs that would double the price of selected imports.
by CNB