Japan to Impose Import Curbs on Farm Products

The Japanese government on Tuesday decided on an ordinance, including an amendment to the tariff code, to officially impose temporary emergency import curbs next Monday on three farm products mainly from China.

The ordinance, which was approved at a cabinet meeting, will impose higher rates on imports of stone leeks, shiitake mushrooms and rushes used in tatami mats whenever their import quantity surpasses the average import amount logged between 1997 and 1999.

For stone leeks, a tariff of 256 percent, up from 3 percent, will be imposed when imports exceed 5,383 tons. For shiitake mushrooms, a 266 percent tariff, up from 4.3 percent, will be imposed on imports over 8,003 tons. For rushes, a tariff of 106 percent, up from 6 percent, will be charged when imports exceed 7, 949 tons.

The import curbs will be implemented for up to 200 days through November 8. It will be the first time Japan invokes import curb measures under World Trade Organization (WTO) ordinary safeguard mechanism, which is designed to slow imports to allow a specific industry to adjust to heightened competition from foreign suppliers.

The move came after some Japanese domestic producers claimed that the rapid increase of such farm products, mainly from China, have destroyed their prices, making them to lose the willingness to go on producing such products.

Japanese cabinet ministers told reporters after the meeting that they want to continue talks with China to resolve the dispute.

The Chinese government urged Tokyo last Friday to halt or postpone invoking the curbs when Chinese trade officials held talks with Katsutoshi Matsuoka, senior vice minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, who was sent to Beijing to explain Japan's position.

"Communication with China is important, so we are ready to continue and step up negotiations with them," Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshio Yatsu told a news conference. Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said, "I still hope to see talks with China make headway."

Miyazawa also cautioned against Japanese domestic producers seeking or coming to rely on import restrictions.

"It becomes a kind of habit once we do it," he said.






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