Bradley Speaks Out in Tokyo for Free Trade : Cites High-Technology Products, Citrus Fruits

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, saying he will soon declare his candidacy for governor, spoke out here Tuesday in favor of free trade, including imports of Japanese mikan , or Mandarin oranges, into California.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, Bradley said he would not be swayed by advocates of protectionism who have given free trade, in a reporter’s words, “a bad name” within the Democratic Party.

“I have views that are independent of party affiliation. I don’t think that should come as any surprise. I’ve never even looked at how many Democrats favor this position (against free trade). That doesn’t make any difference to me. I happen to feel very strongly about the need for increasing the amount of international trade that occurs between our country and the rest of the world.”

The mayor said that, in his meeting with Nakasone, he had advocated free trade in high-technology products, including semiconductors, and in citrus fruits. In reply, the prime minister gave him a rundown of the initiatives that Japan has taken so far this year to open its markets further, he said.

Hits Unitary Tax System

“I was encouraged by the discussion with Prime Minister Nakasone that the Japanese are progressing to a ‘level playing field’ in the removal of trade barriers. More remains to be done, but genuine commitment has been demonstrated by the Japanese government,” he said.

Bradley also spoke out against California’s unitary tax system, long criticized by Japanese businessmen, who have threatened to refrain from further investment in the state until the system of assessing California corporate tax as a percentage of a company’s global earnings is eliminated.

The mayor denied that his visit to Tokyo--part of a three-nation tour that will also take him to Seoul, South Korea, and to Taipei, Taiwan--was linked to any ambitions for higher political office.

But, when asked about his plans for 1986, Bradley said that he has investigated political sentiment throughout California and that “I haven’t seen anything that would discourage me from running” for governor. Asked if he would “be declaring any time now,” he replied: “Yes.”

Bradley said the issue of a 45-state ban on imports of Japanese Mandarin oranges was raised by Masumi Ezaki, chairman of the international economic affairs committee of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, when Bradley complained about Japan’s quotas on imports of California oranges.

California is one of 45 states, most of which have no citrus crops, that prohibit imports of the Mandarin oranges, allegedly for quarantine reasons. None of the five states that do permit imports, however, grows any citrus fruit.

Bradley said he offered no opinion on the issue to Japanese leaders, but, when asked by a reporter how he felt about lifting the ban on mikan imports, he replied:

“I’m in favor of free-market access. I think that you can’t ask for the opening up of the marketplace in one country and not be willing to open it up in your own.”

Bradley said he had complained that increases in Japan’s quota on orange imports had been limited to only a two-month period during the winter and still don’t “give California farmers who raise citrus products a maximum input into this market.”

On semiconductors, Bradley said present concerns of Silicon Valley businessmen about “the unfairness” of trade must be removed. After that, American chips makers will have to compete on their own--without help from protectionist legislation, he added.

He said he did not think that U.S.-Japanese trade would become an issue in the 1986 gubernatorial election. Without mentioning Gov. George Deukmejian by name, however, he criticized the Republican incumbent’s failure to seek more trade and investment with Japan.

“The only (trade) issue I could foresee,” he said, would be the contrast between the Port of Los Angeles, which has maintained an office in Tokyo seeking Japanese business, while “the state of California is one of only 10 states that doesn’t have an office here, or anywhere.”