Nakasone Sees Reagan, Pledges to Cut Trade Surplus With U.S.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone gave President Reagan a tiny Japanese television set on Sunday and then pledged to pump up consumer demand in his own country and slash its $52-billion trade surplus with the United States, according to a senior Administration official.

The official, who sat in on the talks at Camp David, Md., said Reagan was encouraged by Nakasone’s “determination and commitment.” But he also acknowledged that Nakasone provided no details about how he intends to accomplish a goal that would require a major restructuring of his country’s economy, one heavily geared toward exportable technology.

Nakasone promised the President “that they’re (the Japanese) going to move their policies from export-oriented to import-oriented,” said the official, who declined to be named. He briefed reporters at the White House.

Before the talks, Reagan had presented Nakasone with a windbreaker and a set of golfballs. Nakasone gave Reagan the miniature TV set, one of many Japanese consumer appliances that have flooded U.S. markets in recent years, worsening the trade imbalance between the two countries.

The official said the White House was not disappointed by the Japanese leader’s vagueness, adding that the Administration believes Nakasone will sincerely try to increase domestic demand for foreign-made products.

The two leaders are scheduled to hold another round of talks at the White House today.