Bush’s Trade Trip to Asia

Edward N. Luttwak’s Opinion piece (Dec. 29) is a dismaying reflection of the ignorance of even the most impressively credentialed “experts” on trade with Japan.

His characterization of a monolithic Japan Inc. is a common theme of the paranoid writers and politicians who want to create an easy target for the current problems of the U.S. economy. If he looked at a few facts he might have a different opinion of the current trade imbalance.

On a per capita basis Japan purchases only slightly less U.S. goods than Americans do of Japanese goods. The imbalance is caused by the larger U.S. population.

The demand that Japan import rice is an example of the current shortsighted thinking. Left to an open market Japan would, because of the lower prices, buy most of its rice from Thailand or China. Opening the rice market would wreck the stability of the political system and force Japan to be dependent on foreign suppliers for a basic food staple. It will not significantly help the U.S.-Japan trade imbalance.

I do object to the fact that the problem of a European Community closed to imports is real and that it is viewed benignly versus the trade problems with Japan.

Racism is a combination of fear and ignorance. I think it colors much of the debate. Otherwise the closed markets of Europe would get more attention.

DON HAYASHI, Culver City