European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I Are Tough for americans in Tokyo by Steven a Paulson associated press or americans living n the world s most expensive Aly. Tokyo things have gone rom bad to worse when most people thought things could t get much tougher. In february 1985. A Dollar bought 253 yen. Ii has sunk steadily since then to unprecedented Depths shedding 12 More yen in the last three weeks alone. Now one Dollar buys just 134 yen. A couple with two children who wan an evening out pay 1,900 yen an hour for a commercial baby Siller in Tokyo that was a manageable $7.25 an hour 20 months ago or $36 25 Lor a live hour evening. That same baby Sitter now costs $14 28 an hour or $71.42 or five hours if you re Lucky you May Lind a student baby Sitter for 800 to 1.000 yen an hour or $30 to $37 for the evening plus cab fare Homo. That s before you get to Iha restaurant where $100 per person for a meal is common or to the movies where tickets Cost 1,500 yen. Or $11.27. These Days Many americans in Japan Are simply staying Home but that s not cheap either. Reels for three bedroom apartments designed for westerners Wilh 1,728 Square feet of floor space average 720,000 yen a month said Koichi Kagey a Tokyo realtor who deals with foreigners that Price in february 1985 was already a stiff $2,737 per month now the same apartment costs $5,373 per month. Melon mag Hitty Price in Tokyo 8,000y�r or about w5cft. Last year Tokyo Overlook Lagos Nigeria As he most expensive City in the world according to the business International corp a Survey of business executive costs. And that was before the latest fan in the Dollar. Mike Potter. Far Easl director for the new York port authority says he has taken a 60 percent pay Cut in the past two years in earning Power because of currency fluctuations. His Cost of living allowance has t begun to makeup the difference. Potter said his biggest Shock recently came when lie went to buy an ironing Board. Ii Cost More than s225. I now do my ironing on Iho table he Sak when he look 10 people to a moderate restaurant recently the Bill came to 160,000 yen Mote than $1,200. Because of budget culling measures Back Home he pays some company related entertainment expenses from his own pocket. Potter1 weekly grocery Bill Tor milk Cereal co fee and Peanut butter and Jelly conies to $200. Potter is single and eals out frequently but even a bowl of noodles he notes costs $3. Because of the High expenses and Japan s virtual Cash Only society he often walks around with up to $1,000 in his pocket. The declining Dollar has hit almost every sector of Lile Lor americans in Japan. Many say they have done nearly All the budget trimming possible but they still reel from the Cost of necessities. Mac Jeffery a spokesman for ism world Trade Asia corp., said the prices become numbing after a White to b the prices of new York limes two he said. Jeffery said he saw a Cotton shirt in a Tokyo shop window recently for 14.000 yen. When the rate was 140 yen to the Dollar. Can you imagine spending $100 for a Cotton shirt and it was t even a designer Label he said. I Don t care if i d won the Irish sweepstakes i would t pay that for a  Jeffery a seat to a concert by Manhattan Transfer Cost $50. And the Price for three tickets to the coming tour by the new York metropolitan Ope a is a staggering 100.000 yen or $250 per ticket. But Virginia Johnson a single grave agent who has lived in Tokyo of if years said foreigners would have an easier time h they lived As she does japanese style. That Means a lot of sacrifices living in a Liny apartment that measures 650 Square feet eating japanese food doing without a car. And very Lew nights on the town. Iii tried to convert the amount of Money it costs to live Here i d get a stomach  she Sard. I Don t sulier emotionally. Living the Way i  Vincent Buck an attorney for the american chamber of Commerce m Japan lives in the second most expensive City in the world Osaka and he Calls the prices there  the biggest Shock is going out for dinner for two and a Lew drinks and getting a Bill Lor 1200," he said. Ii makes you go dutch quite a  but the High value of the yen also proves that this is the place to be he said this is the place where the business action is. And it you re not Here you re rot Gold me Itas a knitting class i joined Back in 1973. By 1974, every a who nodded to to within a 200-mile radius had a pair of knitted one size fits All bedroom slippers. I was a woman possessed. Wilh my sister in Law in was seashells. She moved to a Florida Beach a couple of years ago and worked the Beach like a mine sweeper shells became her life. Christmas ornaments mirrors and lamps. The last time i walked the Beach with her. She Only picked up iwo shells Snow Gnu Aboul it icon discarded one she s recovering they Lei me Amateur painters Are the same Way. Al first. They frs up their own Walls with their la Lens. Then when they run out of space they Start passing out their paintings like senior class pictures i know aunt Mae will read this. I will understand if she crochets me a noose in Buttercup yellow a 198. Ins Angl Letl times sym Licals