	uk minister looks to ease tension with japan the u k government hopes for a breakthrough on the deadlock with japan over  policies during next week s visit to tokyo by corporate affairs minister michael howard political sources said howard who leaves for japan tomorrow told reuters he will try to promote understanding on  issues during his visit meanwhile britain will re examine a letter from japanese prime minister yasuhiro nakasone promising personal help in solving the row over a u k firm s bid to win a significant role in japan s telecommunications market government sources said tensions have risen following britain s decision to arm itself early with new statutory powers which it says could be used against certain japanese financial institutions britain reacted optimistically at first to the letter from nakasone to prime minister margaret thatcher seeing it as a signal that he would work towards ensuring a satisfactory outcome to the bid launched by cable and wireless plc government officials said but this view has since been clouded by reports from tokyo that nakasone s assurances really constituted little more than politeness in the face of british anger they added reuter 
