21.   President Clinton initiated proceedings against Tokyo in the fall that could lead to punitive tariffs on some Japanese auto exports to the United States.

22.   Strong U.S. demand is only one reason for the rise in auto exports.

23.   Strong auto exports fueled the overall rise.

24.   That was the sixth month of decline at a time when Japanese auto exports are booming.

25.   The bulk of U.S. auto exports went to Taiwan, Japan, Belgium and Australia, in that order, officials said.

26.   The Finance Ministry said Japanese auto exports to the U.S. soared last month, boosting its overall exports to that country.

27.   The increase in auto exports during August could add to pressure on Japanese auto manufacturers to avoid boosting exports to compensate for weak domestic demand.

28.   The investigation could lead to sanctions including quotas or tariffs on Korean auto exports to the U.S.

29.   The Ministry of Finance said Japanese auto exports to the U.S. soared last month, boosting its overall exports to that country.

30.   Total auto exports have fallen for seven straight months.