Japan announced on Tuesday, September 8, that it is evaluating the impact of antidumping tariffs imposed by China on imports of dichlorosilane from the archipelago. This chemical compound is essential for semiconductor manufacturing, being used in thin film deposition processes in the production of integrated circuits. Japanese executive spokesperson Minoru Kihara stated that Japan will closely monitor the situation and evaluate the repercussions in detail, in collaboration with the affected Japanese companies.
The Chinese provisional tariffs, announced by China's Ministry of Commerce and in effect from today, can reach 99.2%. China concluded that Japanese companies engaged in dumping, selling below the cost of production, which allegedly harmed the Chinese economy. According to preliminary data, between 2022 and 2024, the volume of dichlorosilane imported from Japan showed a general upward trend, while prices accumulated a decline of 31%.
Kihara stressed that controls directed exclusively against Japan are discriminatory, so Tokyo submitted a firm protest and demanded the withdrawal of the measure. Japan also stated that it will work with affected companies to respond appropriately to the restrictions, while reinforcing cooperation with countries holding similar positions, beginning with members of the G7 bloc.
The measure comes in a context of growing bilateral tensions, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi declared at the end of 2025 that a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan's survival and justify intervention by Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
