Japan's trade and finance ministries said on Tuesday they will impose provisional anti-dumping duties of between 29.2% and 55.3% on hot-dipped galvanised steel imports from mainland China and South Korea. The measures, described by authorities as protection for domestic steelmakers from dumped products, will be effective from August 8 until December 7.
The duties apply to hot-dipped galvanised steel in coil, sheet and strip form. According to the ministries, these corrosion-resistant products are commonly used in construction - including guardrails, houses and fences - as well as in components for electric appliances such as refrigerators. The ministries noted that imports of the same products from Hong Kong and Macau are not covered by the provisional duties.
The move crowns a year-long investigation that began after three Japanese steelmakers - Nippon Steel, Kobe Steel and Yodoko - filed a petition with the government in April 2025. In their petition, the companies said that lower-priced imports had forced them to cut the prices of their own products. Authorities extended the investigation period last month before announcing the provisional duty rates.
Japan has also recently taken anti-dumping measures in other segments of the steel supply chain. The government has imposed duties on nickel-based stainless cold-rolled steels and on graphite electrodes sourced from Asian trading partners, according to the ministries.
The provisional duties are set for a defined four-month period. The ministries characterized the targeted imports as coated steel products with corrosion-resistant finishes and reiterated the goods' primary end-uses in construction and in household electric appliances.
Summary
Japan will apply provisional anti-dumping duties of 29.2% to 55.3% on hot-dipped galvanised steel coil, sheet and strip from China and South Korea from August 8 to December 7, excluding imports from Hong Kong and Macau. The action follows a year-long probe initiated after a petition by Nippon Steel, Kobe Steel and Yodoko in April 2025 and comes amid other recent duties on related steel products.
Key points
- Provisional duty rates range from 29.2% to 55.3% and cover hot-dipped galvanised steel coil, sheet and strip from mainland China and South Korea.
- The designated products are used mainly in construction (guardrails, houses, fences) and as parts for electric appliances like refrigerators.
- The action follows a year-long investigation prompted by a petition from Nippon Steel, Kobe Steel and Yodoko filed in April 2025; the probe was extended last month.
Risks and uncertainties
- The provisional duties are temporary, running from August 8 to December 7, creating uncertainty about longer-term trade arrangements for the affected products.
- The investigation period was extended last month, indicating procedural uncertainty around final determinations and potential future measures.
- Scope limitations - imports from Hong Kong and Macau are excluded - leave open questions about routing and classification of shipments.