P.M. BRIEFING : Japan Bars U.S. Building Deal

U.S. and Japanese negotiators failed to reach agreement this week on a U.S. request for greater American access to Japanese construction projects, officials said today.

Under a 1988 agreement, Japan pledged to open 17 major public projects to U.S. construction firms by establishing new bidding processes.

In a three-day review of that agreement this week, U.S. trade officials urged that it be extended to all public works projects, a Foreign Ministry official said.

But the official said Japan sees the agreement as a special one-time arrangement to familiarize U.S. companies with the Japanese market, not a permanent change in its public works bidding process.