The government announced a decision Tuesday to extend by six months the April 15 deadline for an investigation to decide whether to invoke import curbs on towel and towel products from China and Vietnam.
"I instructed the ministry to further examine the situation by extending a term of the investigation for another six months," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma told a regular news conference.
The decision is the second time the ministry has extended the term of the probe, which was initially launched last April and was extended six months in October.