Bieber urged Japan to limit car exports to the U.S.

“Given the size of Japan’s auto surplus with the United States, I strongly believe the voluntary restraints must be continued into the future at the current level,” United Auto Workers President Owen Bieber told Japanese car workers. Noting that cars and car parts accounted for nearly half of the $50-billion U.S. trade deficit with Japan last year, he said there would be continuing trade friction unless export restraints were continued. Bieber also urged Japanese auto makers to raise the level of U.S.-made parts in the cars that they are assembling in the United States from the current 30%.