Goes European : Buying Spree by Nakasone No Help to U.S.

Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone bought $284 worth of foreign goods during a 10-minute shopping spree Saturday at a Tokyo store, but none of his purchases was stamped “Made in America.”

Nakasone has been encouraging Japanese to buy more imported goods to help reduce the U.S. trade deficit. His shopping trip to Takashimaya, a major department store, left Japan’s $37-billion trade surplus with the United States untouched, however, because all the items he bought were European-made.

Takashimaya spokesman Hirohumi Tsukue said the prime minister bought a $100 Givenchy short-sleeved shirt from France, a $100 Italian jacket made by Stefano Ricci and a $60 Ricci tie.

He also spent about $24 on a British dart game for his grandson.

Samples Almonds

Tsukue said Nakasone sampled some California almonds, and said they were “very delicious” but did not buy them.

A local television anchorman, presenting film of Nakasone’s shopping spree, remarked, “It’s not easy for regular consumers to simply visit a department store and buy $280 worth of imported goods.”

In an unprecedented televised address, Nakasone recently appealed to Japanese citizens each to buy $100 worth of imported goods a year. He said that would boost Japan’s imports by $12 billion.

Since then, posters featuring Nakasone and his appeal to “Buy Foreign” have begun appearing on subway trains, and Takashimaya initiated an import fair.

A few days after Nakasone’s address, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry called on 60 Japanese companies to increase their purchases of imports. Takashimaya was one of them, the company spokesman said.