French praise for Japanese

Press, 17 April 1982, Page 8

French praise for Japanese

NZPA-.Reuter Tokyo President Francois Mitterrand of France paid tribute yesterday to Japan’s industrial success but said it had sometimes been achieved by commercial aggressiveness.

Mr Mitterrand, on • the third day of an official visit, called for increased cooperation between France and Japan on research into advanced industrial technology.

He told leading French and Japanese businessmen at a research symposium that no country could overcome the current economic crisis alone. Japan was jointly responsible with France for developing new industrial discoveries which could reduce unemployment, he said. “The Japanese miracle, as it is called, can be explained by the high level of your education, your sense of duty and responsibility, and to some extent by your ability, sometimes coloured by commercial aggressiveness, and desire to win.” he said

Mr Mitterrand, who will visit the Science City at Tsukuba outside Tokyo today, said that France was now one of the world leaders in aerospace, aircraft, and nuclear technology. His Research Minister (Mr Jean-Pierre Chevenement) told the symposium that France's spending on research would rise from 2 to 2.5 per cent of its gross domestic product by 1985. France is pressing Japan during Mr Mitterrand's fiveday visit to buy more advanced French industrial goods. He is accompanied by many leading French businessmen and research scientists.

Japan has promised measures next month to cut its huge trade surplus with the West, but French officials said they did not expect any important contracts to be announced while Mr Mitterrand was in Japan. France has put its trade deficit with Japan at SUSI. 6 billion last year, double the level in 1979.