Five major Japanese textile makers have asked the Finance Ministry to impose antidumping duties on polyester staple fiber allegedly being imported from South Korea and Taiwan at unfairly low prices.
The textile makers, including Toray Industries Inc., and Teijin Ltd., said Wednesday that 12 South Korean and Taiwanese companies are suspected of dumping polyester staple fiber used in stuffing cushions, blankets and furniture.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will conduct an investigation and the Finance Ministry is expected to decide within a year whether to impose the duties.
Japan has imposed antidumping duties on imports twice in the past. The last time was in 1995 on cotton yarn imports from Pakistan.
According to the textile makers, cheap imports from South Korea and Taiwan led to a sharp drop in domestic prices from around 1998. The companies said their average sales prices in the domestic market in the first half of 2000 were down by around 20 percent over the first half of 1997.
South Korean and Taiwanese textile makers boosted capital investment from around 1995.
They apparently focused on exporting to Japan in recent years after China, the largest market, moved to restrict imports and after antidumping duties were imposed by the United States, India and countries in Europe.