UK MINISTER LOOKS TO EASE TENSION WITH JAPAN

  The U.K. government hopes for a
  breakthrough on the deadlock with Japan over trade policies
  during next week's visit to Tokyo by Corporate Affairs Minister
  Michael Howard, political sources said.
      Howard, who leaves for Japan tomorrow, told Reuters he will
  try to promote understanding on trade issues during his visit.
      Meanwhile, Britain will re-examine a letter from Japanese
  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone promising personal help in
  solving the row over a U.K. firm's bid to win a significant
  role in Japan's telecommunications market, government sources
  said.
      Tensions have risen following Britain's decision to arm
  itself early with new statutory powers which it says could be
  used against certain Japanese financial institutions.
      Britain reacted optimistically at first to the letter from
  Nakasone to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, seeing it as a
  signal that he would work towards ensuring a satisfactory
  outcome to the bid launched by Cable and Wireless Plc,
  government officials said.
      But this view has since been clouded by reports from Tokyo
  that Nakasone's assurances really constituted little more than
  politeness in the face of British anger, they added.
  

