Japan PM says US opposition to Nippon Steel deal ‘very unsettling’

“I find what the United States is saying (about Nippon Steel) to be very unsettling, making such statements or actions that could undermine the trust of its allies,” Ishiba told Reuters in an exclusive interview.
 

“Recently the US is tending to impose deals and threats even on its allies, this is true not only with NATO countries but also now with Japan. I question whether that is really a fair approach. It is extremely important for the Japanese government to discuss these matters sincerely, earnestly, and logically.”
 

Ishiba is running to become the leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and by extension the next prime minister, on Sept. 27. Public opinion polls consistently put him among the most popular candidates, although the leadership vote is restricted to party members.

Japanese companies , especially those considering investing in the US, are also closely watching Washington’s review of Nippon Steel’s deal, Japan’s biggest business lobby Keidanren said on Friday.
 

“We sincerely hope that the review procedure (in the United States) will be conducted with the utmost integrity and fairness in accordance with the law,” Keidanren said in a statement.
 

The deal, facing growing bipartisan political opposition ahead of the US presidential election, has caught the attention of Japanese companies as Washington is Tokyo’s closest ally and Japan is the biggest foreign investor in the US