April 02, 1999
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| April 02, 1999 | atimes.com | |
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| Japan Economy Japan panel warns of mounting U.S. protectionism TOKYO - Protectionist sentiment isgrowing in the U.S., a Japanese government panel warns in its1999 report on unfair trading practices released Wednesday. The Industrial Structure Council, an advisory panel to theinternational trade and industry minister, cited the dumpingsuit filed by U.S. steel companies against Japanesesteelmakers as an example of the move towards protectionism. Other examples include the attempts to reinstate the ''Super301" provision of the trade law, which allows the U.S.government to impose unilateral sanctions against trade partners. The panel says U.S. steel companies had to turn to the 1916U.S. federal antidumping law to take action against imports ofhot-rolled steel plates from Japan. The law contravenes World Trade Organization rules by taking criminal action against firms and seeking compensation. The advisory body also questioned U.S. policy on fees forInternet international phone lines. Currently, non-U.S.telecommunications companies have to shoulder the full burdenof Internet line charges for a transmission between the U.S.and overseas. This runs counter to the normal businesspractice of sharing line fees equally between the twocommunications companies of the two nations, the report says. The government panel urged the U.S. to rectify thepractice, saying it hampers fair competition even though itdoesn't violate WTO rules. The report aims to uncover practices that could beconstrued as contravening WTO rules. This eighth editioncovers 12 major trading partners, including the U.S., theEuropean Union and South Korea. (Asia Pulse/Nikkei) | |||||||||
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