In a letter to Washington, Transport Minister Makoto Koga said his ministry has no intention of accepting two U.S. demands related to deregulation of the auto parts industry, ministry officials said Sept. 10.
Koga stated in the letter, sent Sept. 8, that the Transport Ministry cannot accept the demand that brakes be dropped from a list of auto parts required to be checked by government-approved inspectors after the part is repaired or replaced with a new one by engineers who do not have the appropriate licenses, citing safety concerns.
Koga also said the ministry does not believe it necessary to divide licenses for mechanics into several separate categories to enable more people to get licenses to repair vehicles, which the U.S. has also been demanding. Koga was replying to an Aug. 15 letter from U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky and Commerce Secretary William Daley, the officials said.
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