Japan has formally requested the United States to exclude it from the 25% steel and aluminum tariffs, a departure from the duty-free quotas that Tokyo had previously enjoyed. This request was made through Japan's embassy in Washington following President Donald Trump's decision to eliminate exceptions and exemptions from the 2018 tariffs on steel imports, setting a minimum tariff of 25%, while also increasing aluminum tariffs from 10% to 25%.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that Japan will take necessary actions after thoroughly assessing the specifics of the new measures and their potential impact on the Japanese economy. The country intends to advocate for an exemption in the upcoming weeks before the tariffs come into effect.
Trump's recent measures are part of his aggressive strategy to overhaul global trade, with the belief that imposing higher taxes on foreign-made goods will bolster domestic manufacturing.
Under the previous administration of President Joe Biden, Japan had been granted an annual duty-free quota of up to 1.25 million tons of steel. In 2024, Japan exported 1.18 million tons of steel to the U.S., as reported by the American Iron and Steel Institute.
Japanese steel exports to the U.S. in 2024 amounted to 302.7 billion yen ($2 billion), representing 1.4% of the total exports to America. On the other hand, aluminum exports from Japan were considerably lower, according to government data.
