FICTION -- even in the form of soap opera -- does not eclipse truth.

Last month, the diary carried the unusual tale from the Scottish

Tourist Board of how the Japanese visitors were taking an interest in

the douce town of Kirkintilloch because of a Kirkie character married

into a family in a popular TV series in their country.

Now, I learn, there is already a town twinning agreement between

Strathkelvin District Council and Yoichi in Japan, which is the home of

the big Nikka Whisky company.

Nikka is interested in importing bottled spring water from the Campsie

Fells to be on offer for mixing with its own Nipponese nectar. (Scots

water with Japanese whisky is something of a twist, is it not?) A local

producer is negotiating or at least has submitted tenders.

Mr Takeshi Taketsuru, Nikka's chairman, has visited Kirkintilloch. It

transpires that his father, Mr Masataka Taketsuru, was a student in

Glasgow many years ago and eventually married Rita Cowan, a

Kirkintilloch girl.

Thus the Japanese connection is continued and Ronald McQuaid, economic

development officer for Strathkelvin, is happy to tell me that a party

of Japanese is to attend the Contact '89 trade fair to be held in

Bishopbriggs in June.