and in bilateral talks. Mr. Wilford agreed and said
that we had indeed been considering whether we ought
to seek to hold special talks with the Japanese
on oil.
Mr. Beckett thought that there would be large
increases in the amount of natural gas produced both
in the Far East and elsewhere.
ANGLO-JAPANESE ECONOMIC RELATIONS
Bilateral Trade
Mr Arita was gratified that two-way trade had
increased by 29% in 1970 to reach a total of
8875 million. This amount however was not commensurate
with the close relations between the two countries.
Japanese trade even with the Soviet Union had amounted
to 8820 million. We must therefore aim at further
increases in Anglo-Japanese trade.
During the past
year Japan had liberalised a number of items of
interest to the United Kingdom. including whisky,
wool textiles and electronic items. It was
expected that confectionery would be liberalised.
He recognised the British interest in a reduction of
the tariffs on whisky and wool textiles, and the
matter would be further studied.
The bilateral trade "talks were admittedly at a
stand-still but as he had shown Japan was taking
practical steps and in return she hoped to see the
abolition of the safeguard protocol and the so-called
voluntary export controls affecting textiles and
pottery. He was unsure how this question should be
handled in the coming months. Some Japanese wondered
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