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Ready to retaliate against US steel tariffs: Japan tells WTO

WION Web Team
Delhi, IndiaUpdated: May 18, 2018, 10:34 PM IST
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File photo. Photograph:(Zee News Network)

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Trump has maintained that massive imports to the US threatened national security

On Friday, Japan told the World Trade Organization that it would withdraw its conciliatory stance toward United States over tariffs. The Abe administration noted that it was ready to take retaliatory measures against US tariffs on its steel and aluminium.

While China has already taken retaliatory measures, Japan had taken a conciliatory approach, attempting to win exemptions through dialogue.

The WTO was informed that Japan had the right to impose tariffs on US goods worth 50 billion yen ($451 million) -- equivalent to the impact of the US tariffs newly imposed on Japanese metal products.

"We plan to decide appropriately, considering the impact on Japanese companies as well as related US measures," Japanese foreign ministry noted in a statement. 

US President Donald Trump slapped 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminium imports, primarily to target China, but also allies, including EU countries as well as Japan -- a move that sparked fears of a trade war in March when he decided to impose.

Trump has maintained that massive imports to the US threatened national security.

(With inputs from AFP