Japan is ramping up trade defense measures by initiating a record number of anti-dumping investigations this year, as it seeks to protect domestic industries from China’s overproduction and sweeping tariffs imposed by the United States.

Anti-dumping measures could become a new norm of international trade. After the mid- to long-term effects of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs gradually kick in, countries might turn to these actions as a more institutionalized way to defend their domestic markets.

“Inevitably, anti-dumping actions will become a key part of international trade once tariff issues are mostly settled,” said Ke Long, an economist at The Tokyo Foundation. “It’s not a uniquely Japanese trend — it’s global,” he added.