The government will look into the issue of surging towel imports from China if domestic towel makers want it to do so, Vice Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Katsusada Hirose said Thursday.
"We will investigate them in line with regulations," he told a news conference, adding, "It is essential to promote free trade in accordance with regulations."
Alarmed by the influx of Chinese towels, the nation's towel industry is likely to decide today to ask the government to limit imports under World Trade Organization rules.
Rules set by the WTO, the Geneva-based international trade watchdog, allow member nations to resort to safeguard measures when domestic industries are threatened by excessive imports.
Hirose said he does not know whether other textile manufacturers will join towel makers in filing a petition for an emergency curb on textile imports.