Japan finally decides to apply ADs to imports of Chinese Ni CR stainless

The duty rates will range from 27.7% to 42.1% for imports from the Chinese mainland and from 3.6% to 20.1% for Taiwan-origin products, the same levels decided when Tokyo applied provisional duties back in July. The items targeted are Ni-based coil, sheet, and strip originating in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan under HS codes 7219.31, 7219.32, 7219.33, 7219.34, 7219.35, 7219.90, 7220.20, and 7220.90, as reported. The dumping investigation period covered January-December 2024.

Specifically, a duty rate of 27.7% will apply to five companies in the Chinese mainland, namely Guangdong Yongjin Metal Technology, Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel, Shanghai STAL Precision Stainless Steel, Jiangsu Yongjin Metal Technology and Ningbo Baoxin Stainless Steel, while other producers will be subject to a rate of 42.1%.

For Taiwanese products, a rate of 3.6% will apply to six companies, including Yieh United Steel Corp, Jie Jin Stainless Steel Industry, Taiwan Nippon Precision Strip Material and Tang Eng Iron Works, while other producers will face a rate of 20.1%. The dumping margins calculated in the investigation ranged from 33.29% to 45.32% for the Chinese mainland and from 3.86% to 20.71% for Taiwan.

The Cabinet Order formalizing the duties will be promulgated on October 30, and the penalties will apply from October 31 through October 30, 2031.

Tuesday's announcement brings to a close a case launched in May 2025 by domestic makers Nippon Steel, Nippon Yakin Kogyo, NAS Stainless Steel Strip MFG and Nippon Kinzoku which had claimed that low import prices and the rising tonnage of the stainless Ni CR flats from China had caused "material injury to the domestic industry... including a decrease in operating profits," as Mysteel Global reported. The combined output of the four mills is more than 50% of total Japanese stainless production.

In a joint statement issued following the government decision, the heads of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), the Special Steel Association of Japan and the Japan Stainless Steel Association warned of their continued vigilance. "The Japanese steel industry will continue to strengthen its monitoring efforts on unfair import practices, not limited to the products subject to the investigation, and will consult with the Government of Japan each time when it becomes necessary regarding further trade remedy measures," the statement said.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Japan's imports of all types of stainless from the two countries have fallen markedly. The latest JISF data show that between January and August this year, imports from the Chinese mainland had plunged by 55.5% on year to just 36,501 tonnes and those from Taiwan by 45.5% to 25,636 tonnes. Total stainless imports reached 176,275 tonnes, lower by 14.3%.  Imports from South Korea, by contrast, soared by 20.7% over the eight months to 76,099 tonnes, the JISF statistics show.

Written by Russ McCulloch, russ.mcculloch@mysteel.com

Edited by Alyssa Ren, rentingting@mysteel.com