European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 05, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes columns David Butts Japan deserves More than Japan bashing pan helped nut the a ramps in the new Vyrl Japa put Brake o e new York Stock Market crash in october 1987 and now wants the United states to return the favor. But so far washing ton shows  signs of coming to the Aid of its chief economic competitor. The apparent Lack of support in Washington for Tokyo s collapsing Stock Market could be a Harbinger of More difficult times ahead As Japan and the United states reassess their relationship in the Post cold War Era. The Tokyo Stock Market which has been on a ski since the first of the year suffered its second worst Day monday losing nearly 7 percent of its value while the japanese yen fell to a 39-month Low against the Resur gent Dollar. The japanese want Washington to support the yen and Case off Trade pressure for the time being to Stop the Market Haemorrhaging but . Policy makers appear Content to watch quietly As Japan s Economy bleeds. Finance minister Ryutaro Hashimoto met wit Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady last month in los Angeles to ask for . Support for the sinking Japa Nese yen. But Brady ended the meeting without giving any indication that he would help. Some people May be Happy to see the japanese Market do so poorly said Richard Koo a senior economist with Nomura research Institute. It will remove some of the competitive Edge Japan  this glee Over Japan s economic troubles is Symbol of the change in american attitudes toward Japan. Americans once viewed Japan As a Friendly asian nation helping in the fight against world communism and were eager to give it a hand economically. But now Japan is seen As an economic Godzilla Benton buying America piece by piece. Japan s strategic significance for the United states has been diminishing Over time and there is no wide spread International constituency interested in Japan continuing economic welfare said Chalmers John son a University of California professor and one of America s leading Asia experts. President Bush has put Japan at the top of a list Funfair trading partners while he talks of granting the soviet Union most favored nation Trade status. Bush s goal is to reduce the nearly $50 billion an Nual Trade deficit with Japan. Some analysts think Washington is withholding help in the financial markets to pressure Tokyo to Cut the deficit. This attitude has mystified Many japanese who feel Anthony Lewis within that the trick herei5hotair plenty of hot air. The balance of they have gone the extra mile to help the United stat Sand have got nothing but grief in return. Japan deserves More credit for pulling the United states Back from the Edge of the abyss after the Black monday Stock Market crash of october 1987,said David Hale chief economist for Kemper Finan Cial services. The japanese government at the time used its Formi Dable Powers of moral persuasion to Stop japanese investors from abandoning the new York Market. And when the Dollar was collapsing in the late1980s, the finance ministry bought nearly $60 billion of Dollar securities to support it. The overwhelming priority of japanese Public policy has been to promote International economic Harmony by helping America Cope with the financial tension created by her Large deficits Low private savings and permissive financial regulations said Hale. It would seem that Washington might return the gesture in Japan s time of need. But America s mixture of anger and jealousy toward the japanese May be blocking any offerings of Good will. Americans also seem secure in the belief that Japan is much More dependent on America than the unite states is on Japan. Some japanese say it is time to show americans How difficult things might get if Japan stopped sup porting the United states. Japan has been a key financier of America s budget deficit through its Purchase of . Bonds. Soi Chi Zenkyo a senior economist with the Bank of Tokyo said the japanese government should use this leverage to Force the United states to Start supporting the yen and Back off of Trade issues. Such an implied threat will produce a More cooperative mind in the United states said Zenkyo. United press International Mandela a magnificent Man for troubled time Johannesburg South Africa Nelson Mandela spoke with respect of president . De Klerk and two of his ministers. These three men to me Are serious when they say they want a Funda mental change in South Africa and i Deal with them on that  then headed but i m not misled by their  arc honest but i am concerned with harsh reality. And the harsh reality is that apartheid is still in  i interviewed Mandela Friday. It was a Day that showed How this once Remote mythical figure is now caught up in the maelstrom of South african politics. He is trying to play a terribly difficult dual role As a Man who can Deal with Testate. And a Man who can produce result for his people. At the end of that Day Mandela Tele phoned de Klerk and told him that the african National Congress was putting off talks it was scheduled to have with the government starting april 11. The reason was Black Community outrage at the police killing of 11 demonstrators Inse Bokseng March 26 and at the ten Dency of Whites As Mandela put it later to consider killings of Black people  the interview took place in the Anc Snew offices in downtown Johannesburg. Walter Sisulu Govan Beki and other men who were in prison with Mandela for decades went in and out of meeting with such younger leaders of the United democratic front As Patrick Lekota an Popo Molefe. Mandela was plainly the dominant Fig ure a commanding presence but strikingly polite almost courtly his rhetoric measured. And through the turmoil of the Day he seemed utterly Serene. Early on the interview was interrupted by a 15-minute Telephone conversation with gats a but Elezi the Zulu Leader and head of the inkatha move ment. Mandela had to say firmly if poli Tely that but Elezi was wrong that Man Dela had agreed to a Public meeting wit him in an area of Natal province torn by virtual War Between inkatha and an supporters. Independent observers say that Inka tha gangs began the attacks. But Mandela said afterwards that he had not raised the Point with but Elezi. No matter How this problem started he said we have reached a stage now where it is pointless to approach the matter from the Point of View of apportioning blame. The leaders have a responsibility to sit Down together to find a  he was coldly critical of the police and of the Man who directs them Adriaan Vlok minister of Law and order. In Natal he said the police had an inter est in worsening the  and Vlok played the role of inciting  by contrast he spoke of his High re Gard for the minister of constitutional development Gerrit Viljoen. He is a confident person Mandela said. He is very enlightened Well informed and he has a particular manner of  he said he had put my neck on the line for the sincerity of de Klerk s intentions. The question now was whether de Klerk could deliver the  Here Mandela said he regretted halfhearted actions that make Many people feel the government is not  for example the government recently announced that segregated stat schools for Whites would be Able to admit Blacks if 90 percent of the parents in a school so voted. Mandela said the step was inadequate because the Par ent voting requirement would paralyse the whole  Anc policy Calls for state schools Tobe non racial but would allow various population groups to establish their own schools. Mandela said such an arrange ment was the More clearly needed insight of the turmoils taking place All Over the world it s extremely important Kitwe Are going to maintain Harmony in a unitary  Day s meetings at the Anc office went on until late in the evening me next Day Mandela was off to other cities for Days of travel and meetings. 5 of people Here worry about the Strain on a 71-year-old Man. I asked him about that my program is being arranged said by a group of Young men who a really magnificent. They think in tera of the effect on my health of the pressure i  example Between appointment Mey insist on my resting. At oco they say you must have no interview you must go and  make it possible for me to the pressure without any Strain. New York times take