Reagan Seeking $1-Million Library Gift from Sony

Former President Ronald Reagan, who during a trip to Japan last week voiced support for Sony Corp.’s acquisition of Columbia Pictures, has been seeking a major contribution from Sony for video equipment for his presidential library, Sony officials and Reagan aides said.

Reagan aides and Sony executives are discussing a $1-million donation from the giant corporation for the library, a source familiar with the discussions said. Senior officials from Sony met with Reagan aides in California before the former President departed on his nine-day visit to Japan, the source said. Reagan and his wife, Nancy, were told of the possible Sony contribution before the trip, the source said.

The source also expressed surprise at Reagan’s statement supporting the Sony acquisition of Columbia. The source said the former President and one-time actor has recently expressed unease in private about a foreign takeover of such an important part of the American cultural heritage.

During the visit, the source said, there were fund-raising discussions about the library with other Japanese businessmen and some pledges of support have been offered.

Reagan has been widely criticized in the United States for accepting a fee of about $2 million from Fujisankei Communications Group, a communications conglomerate, for making the trip to Japan.

Questioned about the discussions with Sony, Robert Higdon, finance director for the Reagan foundation, said he hopes Sony will contribute video equipment to the library to enhance its value as a research center. But he said Reagan is not involved in the fund raising and that the possibility of a Sony contribution was “absolutely not” connected to Reagan’s defense of Sony.

“Ronald Reagan is not negotiating with Sony right now,” Higdon said. “The trustees of the library have expressed an interest in Sony as a donor to the library long before Columbia Pictures was involved.”