Japan Ready to Retaliate

The Japanese government plans to notify the World Trade Organisation of its list of possible counter-measures against the US Byrd amendment, Seiji Hirota, managing director of the Japan Iron & Steel Federation told Steel Business Briefing.

The list of counter-measures include the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on US imports because of failure by the US to revise illegal anti-dumping rules by the WTO-set deadline of December 27.

"It is not possible at this point to anticipate subsequent developments after the Japanese notification. However, Japan has definitely the right to retaliate against the US failure to comply with the recommendation by the WTO concerning the Byrd Amendment." Hirota adds. If the US lodges an objection, the matter will go to WTO arbitration.