[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 78 (Thursday, May 11, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         KEEP PRESSURE ON JAPAN

  (Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, recently the United States 
and Japan resumed automobile trade talks and these talks have 
collapsed. The talks were aimed at opening the Japanese market to autos 
and auto parts.
  The United States presented new proposals in the two priority areas--
improved foreign access to Japan's auto markets and increase sales of 
auto parts in both the United States and Japan. Japan's auto market 
remains closed. It has been stated Japan sells as many cars in a week 
in the United States as United States automakers sell a whole year in 
Japan.
  Japan continues to maintain a closed economy which discriminates 
against United States auto exports and effects international economics. 
Japanese officials have expressed dismay over what they termed new 
demands at a late stage of talks.
  Currently, there is a $36.7 billion United States-Japan gap in trade 
in autos and auto parts. This gap has to be decreased. Japan's market 
share of auto imports is only 4 percent. In addition, Japan's market 
share of auto imports is only 2.4 percent.
  Nearly 2 years of negotiations have failed to produce an agreement in 
the United States-Japan auto trade talks. The administration announced 
tough trade sanctions against Japan. These sanctions will probably 
entail higher tariffs on Japanese imports worth billions of dollars a 
year.
  I urge USTR and the administration to remain tough on Japan. The 
United States-Japan gap in trade is not reflective of the 
competitiveness of United States autos and auto parts. The United 
States is manufacturing auto and auto parts that are capable of 
competing in the Japanese market. The quality of United States products 
would gradually bring about a reduction of the deficit, if Japan would 
only begin to open their market.
  We need to send Japan a clear message that we will not back down on 
the opening of their markets to auto and auto parts. If they refuse to 
negotiate, we should promptly enact tough sanctions.


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