Tokyo has asked the U.S. government to exempt Japanese firms from U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s newly announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum.
¡°We have requested the U.S. government to exclude Japan from the scope of these measures,¡± Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a news conference Wednesday, adding that the request was made by the Japanese Embassy in Washington via diplomatic channels.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a session of parliament the same day that the new measures weren¡¯t discussed during his meeting with Trump over the weekend.
¡°We will take necessary actions, such as carefully examining the details of the moves and their impact on our country, while urging an exemption from the scope of the measures,¡± Ishiba added.
The tariffs are a result of an signed by Trump on Monday and are set to take effect on March 12.
If the tariffs are applied to Japanese exports to the U.S., they will be considered a valid reason for public-funded Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) payouts, economy minister Yoji Muto told a separate news conference Wednesday.
The Japan External Trade Organization set up a consultation desk earlier this month to address issues exclusively related to U.S. tariffs.
During his first administration, Trump slapped tariffs on steel and aluminum from some of the U.S.¡¯ biggest trading partners, including Japan. In 2022, under then-U.S. President Joe Biden, Tokyo and Washington that let most Japanese steel enter the U.S. tariff-free.
Trump said Monday that the tariffs would be made ¡°without exceptions or exemptions¡± ¡ª though he later signaled that he would give ¡°great consideration¡± to Australia, following a call with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Trump cited the the U.S. has with Australia. Japan, on the other hand, has a $68.5 billion trade surplus with the U.S.
The reaction to Trump¡¯s tariffs has been swift, with Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Tuesday calling the measures unfair as Mexico imports more steel that it exports, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also called the measures ¡°entirely unjustified.¡±
Japan is the sixth largest exporter of steel to the U.S., with 1.18 million tons in 2024, after Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and Vietnam,
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