TENSION IN U.S. - JAPANESE TRADE RELATIONS REVIVED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP06T01849R000100040029-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 17, 2012
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: November 24, 1978
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/04/17: CIA-RDP06T01849R000100040029-0
III, 24 Nov 78 M 4 USSR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
NORTHEAST ASIA
Polling was done lase ~,iznune?, but the Japanese Foreign Ministry found it possible to publish
its returns only now,. It; ?urned out that 64 pez~ cent of the pollees answered in the affirms.
tive, saying that Japan will have .its nuclear weapons, and only 20 per cent said "no."
Public opinion polls are usually held for considering public sentiment in outlining a
certain policy: but in this case the aim was an opposite one --an attempt was thus made
to ,~usti.fy by ;~?eferences to the views of Americans, the ambitions of definite circles in
Japan seeking to have their own atom bomb.
3ut ari c,vax~whe:~ming major_.t~~ of the- ?apanese are quite of a different opinion to this score,
which is seen, in particular, from the exhibition devoted to Hiroshima victims, which was
mounted recently during the week of actions for disarmament under the slogans: "Ban the
Nuclear Weapon" "No to the Neutron Bomb." Photographs on view at the exhibition remind
about the horrors of mass extermination of people--300 thousand people, who died in the
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or as a result of their consequences. The annual
peace marches across the country with the participation of thousands of Japanese citizens
have already become a tradition. The Japanese delegation was the largest at the special
session on disarmament of the UN General Assembly last summer, where a resolute "no" was
said to the arms race and aggravation of tensions.
TENSION IN U. S,-JAPANESE TRADE RELATIONS REVIVED
LD221153Y Moscow PRAVDA in Russian 19 Nov 78 p 5 LD
[Igor Latyshev report:. "Skirmish Between Rivals"]
[Text] Tokyo-pension can be observed again in Japanese.iJ.S, trade relations. Business
circles here are protesting against the U. S. Treasury Department's decision to impose
"antidumping taxes on Japanese television sets which, as is well known, have flooded the
U. S, domestic market recently. This decision is assessed in Tokyo as scheming by its
rivals-~J.S. firms manufacturing similar products-..and at the same time as evidence of the
intensification of protectionist trends in Washington~s policy. The present influx of
Japanese goods onto the U. S, domestic market has led to disproportions in the balance of
trade between the capitalist worlds two mayor countries. Whereas in 1977 the United
States trade deficit with Japan was over $8 billion, this year it has reached almost the
same sum in the first 9 months of the year alone.
In this connection, the United States is increasing pressure on Japan. In particular,
Washington is demanding that Tokyo remove the various excise obstacles impeding increased
imports of U, S, goods onto the Japanese market. It is primarily agricultural produce which
is involved. But in Japan these demands are meeting with resistance from influential
organizations uniting the food producers.
Trade negotiations between representatives of the Japanese and U. S. Governments in Geneva
suffered another failure. Japan was also highly skeptical about the results of the new
round of these negotiations in the United States. The Japanese side has blamed the United
States both for the distortions in the two countries balance of trade and for the currency
and financial disorders in the international accounts system connected with the sharp drop
in the dollar exchange rate. The Japanese press believes that the two countries economic
confrontation may soon be resumed with nbw force. This forecast is confirmed by the very
nature of the contradictions between the United States and Japan which reflect the fight for
world capitalist markets.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/04/17: CIA-RDP06T01849R000100040029-0
 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/04/17: CIA-RDP06T01849R000100040029-0
III. 24 Nov 78 U S SR I N T E R N A T I O N A L A F F A I R S N 1
L.?ATIN AMERICA & CARIBBBAN
TASS CITES CASTRO STATEMENT TO NEWSMEN ON MIG-23 JETS
Moscow TASS in English 1916 GMT 22 Nov 78 LD
[Text] Havana,, November 22, TASS--An exposure of the hypocritical nature of the United
States Governments so-called "concern" over Soviet- made MIG-23 bets on Cu1;a came from
the first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party CC, president of the State Council and
chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic Cuba Fidel Castro. Cuba is making no
secret of having these tactical, purely defensive aircraft, he said during a meeting with
a group of Cuban and foreign journalists. These are by no means strategic planes. There-
fore,. one cannot help but wonder at the laughable intentions of the U. S, to use this pro-
pagandist farce for creating an atmosphere of a so-called "crisis." The question arises
why did the American Government need to create this artificial problem? It would be much
more natural for Cuba to show concern over the hundreds of B-52 bombers and thousands of
other strategic aircraft, and also the scores of thousands of nuclear bombs possessed by
the USA.
~Provocative~ U, S, Assertions
LD229138Y Moscow Domestic Service in Russian 1750 GMT 22 Nov 78 LD
[From International Diary Program, conducted by Boris Andrianov]
[Text] REUTER reports from Havana: The Cuban Air Force has for about a year had at its
disposal Soviet Mig-23 aircraft of defensive type. This was stated in the Cuban capital
today by Fidel Castro, chairman of the State Council and prime minister of Cuba.
The report notes that this statement Was made in connection with the campaign which recent-
ly began in U. S, press, the initiators of which allege that the USSR has supplied Cuba
with aircraft capable of carrying nuclear arms thus had allegedly violated the Soviet-U. S,
accord of 1962. The groundlessness of such assertions is equalled by their provocative
nature. A few days ago PRAVDA, sweeping aside such fantasies of U. S. propaganda, clearly
and precisely stated that the Mig-23 aircraft were intended for the defense of the legiti-
mate interests of Cuba and (?re,~ected] the attempts of certain U, S, circles to arouse a
new wave of suspicion toward our country.
LD241020Y Moscow TASS in English 0935 GMT 24 Nov 78 LD
[Text] New York, November 24, TASS--It is reported from La Paz that a military coup took
place in Bolivia. The president of the country, General Juan Pereda Asbun, has been removed
from power. As is said in a communique signed by David Padilla, commander of the Bolivian
Land Forces, general elections are soon to be held in the country.
LD220726Y Moscow TASS in English 0710 GMT 22 Nov 78 LD
[Text] Panama City, November 22, TASS--Costa Rica broke off diplomatic relations with
Nicaragua on Tuesday after troops of the National Guards of Nicaragua crossed the border
of Costa Rica in the area of Penas Blancas. There are killed and wounded as a result. of
the clash.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/04/17: CIA-RDP06T01849R000100040029-0