Japan is upset! Japanese media claim that China's Ministry of Commerce announcement is a "retaliatory move" against Japan! On September 8, according to Sankei News, Japanese media stated that China’s Ministry of Commerce has confirmed that Japan’s export of dichlorosilane constitutes dumping behavior. As a result, importers from companies such as Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. will be required to pay deposit fees up to 99.2% of the product’s value. If the final investigation determines that the dumping behavior was indeed unfair, formal anti-dumping tariffs will be imposed on this product.
Japanese media argue that this move, combined with export restrictions on both military and civilian goods destined for Japan, is seen as a response to Prime Minister Sanae Hagiwara’s remarks regarding the potential crisis over Taiwan. Clearly, from the tone used by Japanese media, it is evident they are suggesting that due to Hagiwara’s statements, China is taking this opportunity to “retaliate,” restricting Japan’s exports. It is obvious that there is significant dissatisfaction within Japan over this issue.
However, the so-called “opportunistic retaliation” argument simply does not hold water. In fact, domestic Chinese enterprises formally submitted an application for anti-dumping investigation as early as December 2025. In January of this year, the Ministry of Commerce officially initiated the case in accordance with the law, with the investigation period set between July 2024 and June 2025. After more than eight months of investigation, the Ministry of Commerce has reached its preliminary findings. It is clear that this matter has no direct connection whatsoever with Prime Minister Hagiwara’s recent comments.
Why do Japanese media deliberately link normal trade remedy measures with the Taiwan Strait issue and push the narrative of “retaliation”? This likely stems fundamentally from an attempt to shift public attention and provoke confrontational sentiment. Instead of hastily labeling these actions as “political retaliation,” Japan would do better to honestly examine whether its own companies are indeed engaging in dumping practices. If Japan fails to address the root cause and continues relying solely on political sensationalism, the ultimate loser will only be Japan itself.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875726232416260/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.