JAPAN SAYS IT TRYING TO EXPAND DOMESTIC DEMAND

  Japan has assured a meeting
  of trade ministers it is making every effort to expand domestic
  demand and restructure its economy.
      Japanese trade representative Tsomu Hata told an informal
  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) meeting that, in
  addition to demand boosting measures adopted last September, a
  comprehensive economic program will be prepared after the
  1987/88 budget is approved.
      Hata, speaking at the first session of the two-day meeting,
  said agriculture is no exception to the goal of restructuring
  the economy, but did not elaborate.
      Hata said protectionist pressures in the international
  economy are as strong as ever, reflecting financial deficits,
  payment imbalances and serious unemployment in many countries.
      Despite great potential, developing economies are still
  confronted by grave difficulties, particularly debt, he added.
      The basis for the talks is the GATT ministerial declaration
  last September in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and the subsequent
  trade negotiating plan agreed in Geneva.
      "It is essential that we first reaffirm here our commitment
  to implementing that plan as scheduled," Hata said.
      Hata added it is not constructive to speed up negotiations
  in some areas at the expense of others.
      In order to rebuild the free trade system, it is important
  for each participant to have domestic policies that will serve
  this end.
      As part of its contribution, Japan plans in April to
  fundamentally improve its generalised system of preferences for
  industrial and mining products to make Japan's domestic market
  more open to developing countries, he said.
  

