U.S. Urges Japan Not to Recognize Noriega’s Regime

The Reagan Administration, seeking to maintain an economic stranglehold on Panamanian strongman Manuel A. Noriega’s military regime, Friday put diplomatic pressure on Japan not to recognize Noriega’s rule and warned Americans that “unsettled conditions” make travel to Panama potentially dangerous.

The U.S. actions came as supporters of Eric A. Delvalle, the Panamanian president who remains in hiding after being ousted by Noriega a week ago, announced that they had warned five American oil and banana firms not to send payments to Noriega’s regime.

Japan’s charge d’affaires met Friday with the State Department’s senior Latin America official, Asst. Secretary Elliott Abrams, amid reports that Japan was about to offer diplomatic recognition to the Noriega dictatorship.

Could Hinder U.S. Effort

Japanese approval could hinder U.S. efforts to isolate Panama economically because Japan could provide Panama with a source of American dollars, which is the unit of currency used by that country.

A State Department official, speaking on condition that he not be named, said the Japanese told Abrams that they had not yet recognized Noriega’s regime but that they had not ruled out that option.

The State Department also urged Americans to avoid travel to Panama because of “unsettled conditions and sporadic incidents of violence.” The advisory said Americans in Panama should “avoid all public demonstrations and any large public gatherings,” especially in Panama City and other urban areas.

The warning does not apply, however, to cruise ships and other vessels passing through the Panama Canal.

U.S. Servicemen to Stay

The Defense Department said there were no plans to bring home any of the 10,000 U.S. servicemen stationed in Panama or any of their estimated 20,000 dependents. They have been warned to take “normal precautions” and avoid unnecessary travel outside U.S. facilities.

Delvalle’s supporters, meanwhile, said they had warned five U.S. corporations with extensive business dealings in Panama not to make future payments to the Noriega government.

The warnings went to Exxon Corp. and Sohio Oil Co., major users of a pipeline that carries up to 700,000 barrels of oil daily across northern Panama; Northville Industries Inc., part owner or operator of the pipeline with the Panamanian government, and two companies apparently representing Chiquita banana interests in Panama.

An Exxon spokesman declined to comment, but a Sohio representative, Elena Coccari, said her firm had no record of a message on the pipeline from the Delvalle forces. Northville Industries officials could not be reached.

An official of the parent firm of Chiquita Brands said the company had not received the Panamanian letter and had no information on the Delvalle request.

Orders Restrain Banks

Kenneth Juster, an attorney with the Washington law firm of Arnold & Porter, representing the Delvalle forces, also said the latter had won temporary restraining orders barring four banks--Irving Trust Co., Marine Midland Bank and Bankers Trust of New York and the Bank of Boston--from sending funds to the Noriega regime from accounts held by the Panamanian government.