Staff writer
Japan will call on the United States and Europe to commit to eschewing any protectionist trade measures against imports from Asian economies hard-hit by the current financial crisis, government officials said March 17.
Japan is already asking the European members of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to include such a "standstill" commitment in a communique to be issued at a second summit of its 25 member nations in London early next month, the officials said, requesting anonymity.