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Japan made the request through its embassy in Washington after
U.S. President Donald Trump removed the exceptions and
exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on steel imports to a minimum
of 25%, while hiking aluminum tariffs to 25% from 10%.
“Japan will firmly take necessary steps as we fully examine
details of the new measures and their possible impact on the
Japanese economy,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi
told reporters, suggesting that his country will lobby for an
exemption in the coming weeks before the measures are due to
take effect.
The measures announced by Trump are part of his aggressive push
to reset global trade in the belief that tax hikes on
foreign-made products will strengthen domestic manufacturing.
Japan was given an annual duty-free quota of up to 1.25 million
tons of steel under the former President Joe Biden ’s
administration. Japan's exported 1.18 million tons of steel to
the U.S. in 2024, according to the American Iron and Steel
Institute.
Japanese steel exports to the U.S. totaled 302.7 billion yen ($2
billion) in 2024, accounting for 1.4% of the total exports to
America. Aluminum exports were much less, government data show.
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