Japan said Thursday it will consider extending past next June its antidumping duties levied on South Korean and Taiwan firms for cheap fiber imports.

An investigation into the damage to domestic fiber makers from cheap imports is being launched in response to requests from the Japanese firms, the Finance Ministry and the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said.

Tokyo has been imposing duties of up to 13.5 percent since July 26, 2002, on short polyester-fiber producers in the two economies. They are scheduled to expire next June 30.