In a move that is likely to anger Washington and stir up controversy in the forthcoming round of global trade talks, Tokyo decided Wednesday to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the U.S. decision in June to impose anti-dumping duties on Japanese hot-rolled steel imports.
On June 18, the U.S. government imposed anti-dumping duties of up to 67 percent on Japanese hot-rolled steel, claiming that cheap Japanese products have substantially damaged the U.S. industry.
In the belief that the U.S. judgment was politically motivated and not impartial, the Japanese government will ask the Geneva-based trade watchdog by the end of next month to set up "bilateral consultations" to discuss problems with the U.S., according to officials of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.