Japan Lodges Strong Protest with China Over Export Control List

Moscow (ANTARA) – Japan has lodged a strong protest with China after Beijing added 20 Japanese defence companies to its list of export controls for dual-use goods and demanded that the policy be revoked, the Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and government officials.

Earlier on the same day, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it had added 20 Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipbuilding, to the list as a measure to respond to what it called Japan’s “remilitarisation” and Tokyo’s nuclear ambitions.

According to Kyodo, the formal protest was delivered by the head of Japan’s Bureau of Asian and Oceanian Affairs, Masaaki Kanai, along with senior officials from the Japanese embassy in China and representatives from the Japanese Ministry of Commerce.

The Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Kei Sato, described China’s move as “completely unacceptable and deeply regrettable”.

He added that the Japanese government would assess the impact of the policy on the companies concerned and consider further steps in response.

Source: Sputnik/RIA Novosti

Translator: Cindy Frishanti Octavia