Japan Asks South Korea for Clarifications on Trade Restrictions

Japan submitted "opinions and questions" to South Korea regarding South Korea’s plans to remove Japan from its list of trusted trading partners, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a Sept. 3 press release. Japan said if South Korea does not provide clarification on its measures or does not answer Japan’s questions, Japan will view South Korea’s actions as “arbitrary and illegitimate countermeasures,” the press release said.

Japan said it wants to know the “rationale” that led South Korea to remove Japan from its trading list, South Korea’s “rationale behind classifying Japan as Category Ga-2 country” and the “details of [South Korea’s] export control regime.”

Japan said it “carefully explained” to South Korea its own set of export restrictions on the country when they were imposed and is asking for similar treatment. Japan officially removed South Korea from its so-called whitelist of trusted trading partners on Aug. 28 after first announcing the move in July (see 1908270031).