U.S. shipping sanction threat angers Japan

February 27, 1997
Web posted at: 1:33 p.m. EST (1833 GMT)

TOKYO (CNN) -- Top Japanese government officials on Thursday protested a U.S. retaliatory decision to slap sanctions on some Japanese cargo ships. The United States charges Japanese port regulations discriminate against U.S. shippers in Japanese harbors.

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said Wednesday it would levy a fee of $100,000 per ship on cargo vessels operated by three Japanese shipping companies -- Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., Nippon Yusen KK and Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. -- each time they call at a U.S. port from abroad, starting April 14.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda said the sanctions were likely to violate World Trade Organization rules and a bilateral shipping accord.

 

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