1.   American apple growers will also have to finesse a certain conservatism about Japanese apples, which are generally unwaxed.

2.   But Japanese apple growers will probably not be overwhelmed by the competition, for many Japanese still believe that American apples are too tart.

3.   Despite predictions that cheap American apples would wipe out Japanese apple farmers, it turned out that many Japanese consumers did not much like American apples.

4.   Farmers acknowledge that wrapped apples, which have less sugar in them, do not taste as good to most palates as unwrapped Japanese apples.

5.   In the old days, when there was no foreign competition, it did not matter so much that Japanese apple farmers were immensely inefficient.

6.   So American apples have gained an important presence in Japan, but the market is still dominated by Japanese apples.

7.   The pampered Japanese apples are wrapped in paper while still on the tree, to achieve a delicate color.

8.   But Japanese apple growers cut their prices to meet the competition, while U.S. prices went up due to low production.

9.   Japanese apple growers have opposed opening the apple market, contending Washington apples will depress local prices.

10.   Several customers interviewed on Japanese television said they liked the apples, though they thought the taste was a bit more sour than Japanese apples.