Japanese Cars

Does there beat beneath the breast of William Jefferson Clinton the heart of a raving protectionist?The world was given good cause to ponder the question last week. President Clinton took the first major economic initiative of his new administration and what was it? A tariff -- ranging as high as 109 percent -- on flat rolled and plate steel from 19 of the nation's most intimate trading partners. This is a provocative act that amounts in many cases to a de facto embargo.This week he followed up by barring European companies from bidding on government contracts.

The Rev. Benjamin L. Hooks announced yesterday his intention to retire as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, after 15 years of leading the nation's oldest and best known civil rights organization.The announcement that he would step down at the end of this year came in New York at the close of the winter meeting of directors of the NAACP, which is headquartered in Baltimore.Dr. Hooks said that at age 67, "I had to make some decision about what I planned to do" and wanted to give the organization's leadership ample time to choose a successor.

TOKYO -- General Motors Corp., which has had trouble cracking the Japanese market, tried something new yesterday.It opened a glittery, temporary showroom in a busy section of Tokyo -- one of the first tangible byproducts of President Bush's controversial January trip, which was designed to sell cars and create "jobs, jobs, jobs" for American workers.But judging by reactions of visitors, GM cars still are going to be a hard sell in Japan. Among the barriers: price, size and quality."It looks really terrific," 26-year-old Kouzo Iwasaki said, wriggling into the seat of a white Camaro convertible with a sticker price of 4,500,000 yen, about $36,000.

It's a klatch -- minus the coffee -- of about 15 senior citizens that meets every Monday morning at the Florence Bain Senior Center in Columbia.Calling themselves the SPRING Currents, members discuss national and international current events. The group is one of 12 operating at the senior center under a program known as SPRING, short for Senior Peer Resources: Individuals, Networksand Groups.On a recent Monday morning, seven women and six men sat around a conference table and chatted amicably as they waited for their leader, Charles "Bud" Hochberg, to start the meeting by presenting the first news topic of the day."

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Secretary Robert A. Mosbacher Sr. yesterday became the first administration official to say publicly that Japan was partly to blame for the lingering recession in the United States.Mr. Mosbacher's comments are especially significant because he will head President Bush's re-election campaign next year and serve as chief fund-raiser. The remarks came as Mr. Bush prepared to leave today on a trip to Japan and three other Asian countries that will focus on trade issues.

BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met yesterday on the sidelines of a trade conference in Indonesia in a bid to stem mounting tension between their countries over the past month. Both nations expressed hope for improved relations during the one-hour meeting held at the end of a two-day summit in Jakarta for Asian and African leaders. But Hu urged Japan to face its history squarely. "At the moment, Sino-Japanese relations face a difficult situation.

DETROIT (Reuters) -- Sales of U.S.-built autos revived with a 8.3 percent gain in late December, according to figures released yesterday, but the good news was not enough to rescue the industry from one of its most dismal years.Auto sales for the year fell 3.1 percent on a daily-rate basis, and industry analysts blamed the economic slowdown for worsening the auto industry's problems."Problems in the economy deepened a recession already going on in car sales," said David Healy of Barclays de Zoette Wedd.

NEW YORK -- For months, Clinton administration official have been publicly giving the thumbs up as the Japanese yen has set record after record in the international currency markets. The idea is that a strong yen will help cut the huge U.S. trade deficit with Japan.But as the yen continues to test new highs against the battered dollar, few think the administration's wishes will come true. In fact, many economists are worried that the strategy will backfire, driving Japan deeper into recession and importing inflation to the United States.

Patriotism?, Can't afford it, Guv'nor!In Shaw's "Pygmalion," Doolittle is asked: "Have you no morals?" His reply: "Can't afford 'em, Guv'nor!"Recently, the Brookings Institution issued a survey that would probably anger Maryland's favorite Japan-basher, Rep. Helen Bentley, R-2nd. It reported that Americans still have considerably more faith in Japanese automobiles than the ones coming out of Detroit. The Japanese cars have the reputation of being better built and more economical, even if the American-made cars are improving to Japanese standards.

Washington -- Of all the phony issues emerging in national politics none is more misleading than the ''Buy American'' frenzy sweeping the country. It is based on a failure to understand the undeniable benefits of the modern global economy, as well as a misguided sense of patriotism.There are few more certain ways for Americans to shoot themselves in the foot economically and to raise their own cost of living than to try to isolate themselves from foreign pTC competition. And there is no more certain way to inflame international tensions than to encourage Japan bashing.