	economic spotlight u s congress raps japan the u s congress is making japan with its enormous worldwide  surplus the symbol of the u s  crisis and the focus of its efforts to turn around america s record  deficit japan has come to symbolize what we fear most in  the challenge to our high technology industries the threat of government nutured competition and the multitude of barriers to our exports senate democratic leader robert byrd said if we can find a way to come to terms with japan over  problems we can manage our difficulties with other countries the west virginia democrat said at a senate finance committee hearing on the  bill byrd and house speaker jim wright a texas democrat have made  legislation a priority this year and a wide ranging bill is being readied for probable house approval next month japan s bilateral  surplus jumped from billion dlrs in to billion dlrs last year its surplus rose to billion dlrs in february from billion dlrs in january congress points to the record billion dlrs u s  deficit in and the slow response in the  imbalance to the dollar s decline in world currency markets as a reason to press japan to buy more u s goods they are particularly dismayed by the rapid deterioration in u s exports of sophisticated computer technology in response to the growing anger and pressure by the u s semiconductor industry president reagan friday announced he intended to raise tariffs as much as mln dlrs on japanese electronic goods in retaliation for japan s failure to abide by a u s japanese semiconductor agreement congress also has been been angered by the administration s lack of success with japan on a host of other  issues including beef citrus automobile parts telecommunications goods and financial services the bulk of the house  bill was written last week in four committees it is a package of  sanctions and measures to force the administration take tough action against foreign  barriers and unfair competition although most provisions do not single out japan in many cases their impact would be to restrict imports of japanese products or make them more expensive with higher duties the cornerstone of the  legislation passed the house ways and means committee by a vote of to its focus is to force president reagan to retaliate against unfair foreign competition and to make it easier for u s industries to win temporary relief from surges in imports the most controversial issue an amendment to restrict imports if countries such as japan with large surpluses do not buy more u s goods was left for an april vote by the house rep richard gephardt a democratic presidential aspirant from missouri has the support of wright and other key democrats to press for passage of the amendment the measure would have the most impact on japan west germany taiwan and south korea if japan for example does not reduce its barriers by mid the united states would set import quotas or tariffs to cut japanese surplus by ten per cent a year for three years i m tired of going into companies and having managers say to me we re not over competing in japan because we can t compete in the marketplace that argument needs to be taken away from american business gephardt said the administration has said it could not support a  bill containing such a provision 
