The Japan Iron and Steel Industry Federation (Jisf) hopes that Japan’s steel sector can be excluded from any tariffs that are imposed in the USA as a result of the Section 232 investigation. The federation argues that US steel imports from Japan pose no threat to national security, the premise of Section 232, Kallanish notes.

“Ideally, we want the U.S. to avoid imposing any import restrictions on steel,” said Kosei Shindo, Jisf chairman, said Tuesday. Japan only exports products which are not easy to produce in the US and which are necessary for the US economy, he added. Jisf had previously issued a statement saying that the Section 232 findings were “... regrettable” and violate the principles of free trade.

US president Trump will have the final say on imposing import duties or a combination of duties and quotas on steel imports on either all countries or a selection of countries. Although Trump talked mainly about imports from China during his election campaign, the USA imports most of its steel from allies including from fellow Nafta members and from Japan, South Korea and Europe.