By most estimates, Japan accounted for about 40 percent of the $50 billion semiconductor market in 1989.

Talks on opening up Japan's construction and semiconductor markets are expected to be concluded here next week.

But they have been crucial to the company's recovery after Japanese competitors nearly squeezed it out of the semiconductor market in the late 1980's.

The Japanese's overall share of the American semiconductor market is about 15 percent.

The total semiconductor market grew 24.3 percent, to $36.6 billion.

The agreement set as a goal that 20 percent of Japan's semiconductor market would be held by foreign chips by mid-1991.

The semiconductor market is accelerating from an already strong pace.

In Japan, America's share of the semiconductor market has stayed at 10 percent, give or take a point, since 1973.

"We're seeing a pickup in the semiconductor markets after last year's slowdown," he said.

That closure cost 1,000 jobs, while the rest came from the company's attempt to adapt to a downturn in the semiconductor market.