It was the first time in the postwar era that Washington had taken a specifically punitive trade action against Japan.

American officials say they will try to prevent the ministers' final communique from condemning Washington's trade actions.

But one American official said: "There has to be some way to gain market access and block unfair trade action.

But, in an interdependent world, all trade actions are double-edged.

Without G.M., the trade actions would lack considerable political clout.

But within the entire spectrum of trade actions we can take, Super 301 is not one of the more important steps.

But privately, Japanese officials acknowledge that a new agreement is inevitable, largely to forestall threats of further trade action by Congress.

It would be the first time in the postwar period that the U.S. has taken a unilateral trade action against Japan.

And now Boeing wants to precipitate a trade action that could affect the future of an entire industry because of its self-inflicted problems.

"These trade actions are very costly to bring and success is not assured," she said.