Yeutter Insists Japan Increase Its U.S. Imports

U.S. Special Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter, complaining vigorously about Japan’s failure to open its markets, warned Tuesday that the United States will “need to reappraise the entire economic relationship between our two countries” next year unless Japan substantially increases the purchase of American products.

Despite Japan’s promises to import more goods, “most of what has transpired has been on paper alone” instead of being demonstrated in actual sales, Yeutter said at a breakfast media session.

His remarks--some of the strongest recent criticism of Japan--expressed a growing impatience among U.S. officials with the slow progress in persuading the Japanese to accept more merchandise from other countries.

U.S. sales to Japan have declined this year despite the well-publicized campaign by Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone to persuade his country’s business executives and consumers to buy foreign merchandise.

Japanese imports from the United States totaled $17.1 billion during the first nine months of the year, compared to $17.4 billion during the same period a year ago, according to the Commerce Department. Japanese exports to this country, by contrast, jumped to $54 billion from $45.8 billion a year ago.

The overall trade deficit with Japan will probably hit a record $50 billion for this year.