TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan has launched an anti-dumping investigation into hot-dip galvanized steel from China and South Korea, the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Wednesday.
The probe follows an April 28 petition filed by Nippon Steel, Kobe Steel and other domestic makers claiming that weaker domestic demand and a shift to cheaper imports have forced them to cut prices.
Hot-dip galvanized steel is typically used in construction, typically for metal that will be exposed to the elements. The investigation excludes Hong Kong and Macau, METI said.
In July, Japan also began investigating nickel-based stainless cold-rolled steel sheets and strips imported from China and Taiwan.
METI and the Ministry of Finance plan to complete the investigation within a year before deciding on possible anti-dumping duties, the METI statement said.
“This investigation is being conducted fairly and independently in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules to address unfair import practices,” Tadashi Imai, chairman of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, said in a statement.
Imai, who is also president of Nippon Steel, said the industry will continue monitoring unfair import practices beyond the products under investigation and consult the government each time it becomes necessary for further trade measures.
He has repeatedly warned the global rise in protectionism could leave Japan vulnerable to inexpensive steel imports, hurting domestic production.
(Reporting by Ritsuko Shimizu and Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Christian Schmollinger)
