Japan Requests Exemption from U.S. Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Products

The Japanese government has requested an exemption from the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum products that the United States has announced it will impose.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at the House of Councillors' plenary session on Wednesday that Japan will take necessary measures, such as urging the United States to exempt Japan from the tariffs, while carefully examining the details of these [U.S.] rules and their impact on our country.

He explained that they did not discuss this issue at his summit meeting with Trump in Washington on Saturday (Friday local time), as it had not been officially announced at the time.

According to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Tokyo made a request to Washington for an exemption from the tariffs through the Japanese Embassy in the United States on Wednesday (Tuesday local time).

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto expressed concern about this issue at a press conference Wednesday, saying, “Broad-based trade restrictions could have a major impact on the global economy and the entire multilateral trade regime based on World Trade Organization rules.”

He noted that, if Japan is made subject to these tariffs, any damages incurred by Japanese companies whose contracts with American firms are broken as a result will be covered by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI).

Trump originally imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum products under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 during his first administration. The new tariffs are due to take effect on March 12.

Exceptions that until now have been applied to products from Japan and certain other countries and regions, such as duty-free access, will be eliminated.