Japan threatens sanction against US in WTO trade dispute
AFP, Tokyo
Japan Wednesday threatened sanctions against the United States before the year's end after getting the green light from the WTO unless Washington repeals a controversial anti-dumping law.Japan said it would act as early as "this autumn" if Washington did not repeal anti-dumping legislation known as the Byrd amendment, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Japan appreciates the decision because it gave the green light for Japan to take retaliatory measures of up to 78 million dollars per annum," it said. The World Trade Organisation ruled Tuesday that seven nations and the European Union could levy sanctions amounting to 72 percent of the sums reaped by US firms from the offending legislation. The October 2002 law allowed payouts to US companies that complained of unfairly cheap foreign imports to the tune of 561 million dollars in 2001 and 2002.
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