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Union. But Shevardnadze is visiting Tokyo shortly before
and Gorbachev next spring. The grounds for some sort of compromise may become apparent, and I look forward to hearing their impressions. The Japanese complain that we do not understand how security policy problems appear from a Pacific Rim perspective. We need to persuade the Japanese to look at these issues in a wider global context, as part of our objective of ensuring that Japanese policy priorities are in line with those elsewhere in the West.
6. I hope to agree a joint statement with the Japanese on the need for a successful outcome to the GATT round; enhanced language teacher exchanges; and cooperation on tropical forestry, with particular regard to the environmental implications of South-East Asian
deforestation. I shall also be signing an exchange of notes on air services.
7. There is potential here for a modest thickening up the UK-Japan dialogue. It is important that the Japanese regard us as their most sympathetic interlocutor, both in Europe, against anti-Japanese demands from the French (Rocard's visit to Tokyo in July did not go very far towards improving the atmosphere) and at the Summit, in respect of their aspirations to play a more independent political role. But we should not pull our punches when trade issues - bilateral or multilateral loom on the horizon; and we should aim as far as possible to see that Japanese views and goals reflect ours. It will be easier to realise both these objectives if our relations can be made yet warmer and more substantial.
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