“Mysterious Request: Country Seeks Exemption from Tariffs”
TOKYO (Reuters) – The industry minister of Japan, Yoji Muto, revealed on Wednesday that the country has officially requested the United States to exempt Japan from the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed. President Donald Trump of the United States had recently raised tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to a fixed rate of 25%, stating that there would be no exceptions or exemptions in order to support struggling industries within the U.S. However, this decision also carries the risk of triggering a widespread trade war on multiple fronts.
In a later development, President Trump expressed willingness to carefully consider Australia’s plea for an exemption from the steel tariffs, citing the trade deficit between Australia and the U.S. as a factor in this decision-making process.
(Reporting by Ritsuko Shimizu; Writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Tom Hogue)
