§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of his talks with the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications during his visit to Tokyo; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChannonIn my talks in Tokyo I emphasied Her Majesty's Government's full support for the bid by Cable and Wireless and the IDC consortium to establish a second Japanese international telecommunications carrier alongside KDD. I pressed for the merits of the proposals from the various consortia to be fully assessed and urged against premature decisions being taken on an issue very important to the demonstration of Japanese commitment to international trade and industrial collaboration. These points have since been confirmed in a note.