European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday january 1, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 Germany France leading Europe Unity by Kevin Costelloe Bonn West Germany a West Germany and France Are providing som of the greatest impetus for european Unity. As the european economic Community moves toward the removal of inter Nal barriers by the end of 1992, West Germany and France have been pushing innovation in various key areas including the economic sphere. The moves come As Western Europe jockeys to compete More effectively with the United states on world markets handsome quarters Call for a reduction of the 326,000 american military personnel in Europe. It s obvious for All europeans that the americans won t be in Europe for Ever said Brig. Gen. Dominique pen Pacchioni the defense attache at the French embassy in Bonn. We know that we have to prepare in Advance for the future. We the French and West germans Are showing the Way that should be  Pennacchione stressed however that West europeans View american troop Sas indispensable and the View is unlikely to change in the near future. France and West Germany which have worked for decades to put the bitter experience of the two world wars be Hind them have taken these Steps recently approved a joint defense and Secu Rity Council. It will meet at least twice a year starting Early in 1989 to c9ordinatevirtually All aspects of defense including disarmament and will include the Heads of government As Well As the foreign and defense ministers. Created a joint economics Council comprised of their finance and economics ministers As Well As the Central ban presidents. The Council will meet four times a year starting in 1989 to reach agreement on various economic issues including inflation currency rates and some foreign Trade questions. Agreed to establish a 4,200-Manfrench-German military brigade that will be fully operational in Bobingen outside Stuttgart by october 1990. It will include infantry tanks and  a preliminary move a joint French West German staff of 52 soldiers already has been established in Bobingen with More troops scheduled to be stationed French president Francois Mitterrand and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl review a French Honor guard in Baden Baden West Germany in january 1986. Therein 1989. Made plans to open a joint embassy in Mongolia by 1990, with another onegin another country at a later Date. The embassies could be models for such bilateral cooperation. The joint military work probably Isth most ambitious project and the one that has raised eyebrows within the North Atlantic treaty organization. I have the impression that the other european countries have some apprehensions Pennacchione said. They Are afraid of a French German  said it. Col. Joerg sch Weinsteiger of the West German defense ministry the americans British and italians re acted critically to the joint military Bri Gade. The italians reacted very critically. Perhaps that was a feeling that they were being excluded. Then we explained everything an the criticism went  sch Weinsteiger emphasized you cannot View this As the first step toward an initiative that would do without a american military engagement in Europe. The French and the germans vie the american presence As i Dispensa  the West German Green party too exception to the bilateral defense coun cil. A greens member of parliament Thomas Ebermann charged that the agreement signals a step toward a Ger Man French nuclear Axis aimed at East Ern  Bonn officials also have come up with another euro Centric defense idea a proposal for a multinational european Mili tary division of about 15,000 troops within nato. It is a German initiative for another european Effort to improve defense Gen. Wolfgang Altenburg the West Ger Man chairman of nato s military com Mittee said during a recent High level nato meeting in Brussels Belgium. It would include forces from West Germany Britain the Netherlands Bel Gium and possibly Luxembourg. The proposal was taken seriously but not everyone applauded said Josef Jan Ning an East West expert in the Institute for political studies at the University of Mainz. The West germans have thrown two stones into the water and they want to see which one makes the bigger Ripple said Janning in reference to the join brigade and possible european division. Janning also said he saw wide ranging economic motives in French West Ger Man economic cooperation. The French see the West German shave the Best contacts with the East bloc. So the French see it s Best to work with the germans in that  Chancellor Helmut Kohl of West Ger Many has called for even closer cooperation Between West Germany an France in formulating a joint european policy toward the soviet Union and it East european allies. West Germany and France also redeveloping major initiatives in Diplo Macy including the possibility of joint embassy receptions. Two French diplomats already reworking in the West German foreign ministry and two West germans preserving in the French foreign ministry. Furgeri Pfeifer a spokesman for the West German foreign ministry said the joint French West German embassy i communist run Mongolia is to be opened by 1990, with plans for a second in an As yet undisclosed country. The various measures come As a new poll indicates a Rise in respect Between French and West germans compared with five years ago. A French German poll conducted bythe Independent polling firm sores said 54 percent of the French surveyed considered West Germany their Best Friend while 67 percent of the West Ger mans interviewed Felt the same about France. The United states came in Sec Ond in both countries. In a similar poll in 1983, 48 percent of the French surveyed rated West Ger Many at the top of their allies list while53 percent of the West germans placed France at the top of their list. Issue of haves is. Have Nofs cuts of Japan s Core by Susan Chira Tokyo not from the window of an Anonymous apartment building in the Eastern suburb of Funabashi the Japan of Mercedes Benz limousines and $38 million Picasso seems far away. In Funabashi a 44-year-old housewife lives with he three children and her husband in a three bedroom 517-Square-foot apartment. Her husband works in Tokyo for a construction company and the family spends most of it discretionary income on education. For years the japanese prided themselves on Al belonging to one great Middle class. But now Accord ing to recent government reports this Faith and perhaps the social cohesion and willingness to Sacri fice that it engendered is eroding. Just As their nation is emerging As an economic super Power the reports concluded More japanese see a Gulf Between the Rich and everyone else and most believe their Standard of living does not reflect Japan s affluence. The reports said the great Divide is Between those who own Homes and those who do not. Because land prices have soared people who own or inherited land Are Well off at least on paper. People who Don t have land Are shut out. High land prices also mean that those who do buy Homes Are burdened with such huge debts that they cannot spend Money on anything else. The Funabashi wife belongs to the other Japan. This Japan boasts vistas of identical apartment blocks Blue suited men who disappear into crowded commuter trains and doze on the Way to work women who put on everyday clothes and Wear Little jewelry. When i hear about All these luxury apartments i feel like it is happening in a different world where i do no belong the housewife said. But when i actually heard that one of my neighbors who built a gorgeous House that Cost hundreds of millions of yen could do that because they owned a Small plot in Central Tokyo i Felt upset an Felt something is wrong with this  it is this growing sense of unfairness that worried government economic planners who Drew up the 1988 White paper on National life As Well As a report on Japan s Economy published in August and a five year economic plan issued in May. The economic planning Agency reported in the White paper that about three quarters of the people polled Felt that disparities caused by land prices were unfair. More than half of those polled Felt that gaps i income and ownership of assets and consumer Dura Bles had widened Over the past decade. The government is worried because the stability of society and political culture in Japan was considered to rest on this sense of an expanded Middle class Sai Kuniko Noguchi a Sophia University professor. By making people believe you Are a Middle class person despite the Low Standard of living the government could make people strive for Progress. If people give up on the Prospect of Progress and improvement that could create social alienation like that the United states has  such a possibility seems Remote because Japan income distribution remains one of the most equitable in the world. Yet differences Are emerging. The Funabashi family is like the majority of japanese financially c9mfortable, but far from enjoying the affluence or amenities depicted on television commercials. The family s income is 7 million yen about$57,000, Only slightly above the National average. The need to set aside extra Money for school to Hel the family s two children prepare for College examinations has left the Funabashi housewife out of the shop Ping spree that saw Japan s real consumption Rise 4 percent in 1987.indeed, she plans to Cut expenses for Winter gifts funeral presents and her husband s entertainment allow  yen pinching is a far cry from the Boom in luxury goods and travel some japanese  Are also paying More attention to another Gap Between their National and personal  Dollar terms our per capita Gross National product is the first or second in the world. But because of High prices that income is not en9ugh to give japanese people the number one or two living Standard said Takao Akabane Deputy minister of the planning Agency. The government reports found that More japanese Are dissatisfied with Long working hours High prices poor sewage and the Lack of amenities in daily life such As Parks and recreational areas. Since 1984, the percentage of people satisfied wit their lives has been dropping hovering around 50 per cent in 1987."japanese must consider changing their Way of Liv ing Long working hours Long commuting hours very few Parks said Kimihira Sasamura professor of economics at Zenshu University near  and Sasamura said the Only Choice for the government is to improve individual standards of Liv ing by spending More Money on Parks recreation sew age improvements and other amenities