Japan sends U.S. letter on "Buy American" worries

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

TOKYO, July 24 (Reuters) - Japan has sent a letter of concern to the United States on a bill recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, which contains a provision similar to "Buy American", an official at Japan's foreign ministry said.

The letter, sent earlier this week from Japan to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, comes as the United States says the "Buy American" provisions are in line with World Trade Organisation commitments.

In the letter, Japan's ambassador to the United States, Ichiro Fujisaki, expressed worries on a provision in the appropriations bill for energy and water development that said funds should not be used to buy cars other than those made by the Big Three, the official said.

The Big Three refers to troubled U.S. automakers Ford Motor Co (F.N), General Motors and Chrysler .

"If it limits it to just the three, this violates the World Trade Organisation's fundamental principle of non-discrimination," said the official, who declined to give her name.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUST1884820090724

[FreakinDJ]

1. Practice what you preach - Japan and China

Those 2 countries have the most extensive exclusionary measures of protectionism known to man

[ShamelessHussy]

5. That is one of the reasons they have been so successful

just like all the other industrialized countries.

You need to PROTECT your industry, unless you want to give it away.

[imdjh]

2. A local car dealer is pushing "Buy American" but then he is a Ford dealer.

I also fund it amusing that car dealers, many of whom are Republicans, are all out there hawking the cash for clunkers deal.

"Come on in! This government program will put you in a new car!"

As always, many of these ads are misleading, arguably suggesting that you can buy a used car for next to nothing with the cash for clunkers program.

[Romulox]

3. The Japanese have a closed automobile market. Hypocrites. nt

[Art_from_Ark]

12. The Japanese car market is closed? Really?

On my back from work tonight, while driving on a Japanese road, I was behind a BMW for much of the way. On my way to work, I saw a Hummer, probably the stupidest car to try to drive on narrow Japanese roads.

Anyway, in my city, there is a Cooper dealership, a BMW dealer, a Mercedes-Benz dealer, a Volvo dealer, a Ford dealer and probably others that I haven't noticed. In a nearby town, you can get one of 7 or so foreign makes, including GM and Ford, from a Honda dealer. If you want a foreign car here, you can get one. But the question is, given the quality of the domestic cars, why would the average Japanese driver want a foreign car?

[high density]

4. US Congress is under no requirement to pander to the WTO or Japan

Even though 99% of their actions seem to say otherwise.

[Blue_Tires]

6. that is *REALLY* fuckin' rich coming from them

the nation that wrote the book on closed-market protectionism...

[WriteDown]

7. This is HILARIOUS considering the nationalistic and xenophobic

tendencies in Japan. :rofl:

[HughBeaumont]

8. "It's not Protectionism when WE do it. Only when YOU do it!"

:eyes:

Small wonder why the US is in the debt shitter via a crashed rocket.

[pampango]

9. Japan has nothing to worry about. Along with the EU, the US, Iceland, and Switzerland, Japan

belongs to the government procurement agreement that requires equal treatment for bidders on government procurement activities in and by member countries. There are exceptions to what types of procurement contracts are covered, and Kirk apparently believes that this one is such an exception.

If the things Japan is complaining about are, indeed, exceptions to the GPA, then, as Kirk states, there nothing Japan can do about it as it "in line with World Trade Organisation commitments."

[anonymous171]

10. lol That's rich coming from the country that places a +450% tariff on imported rice.

:rofl:

[ingac70]

11. FUCK JAPAN.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20080402/FREE/199919373