Concerns Over Biden Administration’s Potential Blockade of Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel Merger

Concerns Arise Over Potential Merger Blockade

The possibility that President Biden is poised to obstruct the merger between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel on the grounds of national security is generating significant unease in Tokyo. Some Japanese officials perceive this action as a signal that Japan, a critical ally of the United States, is being regarded as a potential threat.

While Japanese officials have mostly refrained from publicly commenting on the proposed $15 billion acquisition since it was announced last year, behind closed doors, there is a growing frustration regarding reports of President Biden’s plans to intervene decisively against the deal. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has reportedly sought discussions with U.S. officials and expressed its concerns over the administration’s intentions, according to two individuals familiar with the matter who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

This brewing political tempest poses a risk to the delicate relationship between the two nations at a time when both Tokyo and Washington are striving to strengthen their ties in order to counteract China’s expanding economic and military clout in the Asian region. Economically, the United States has been pressing Japan for tighter restrictions on its companies’ capabilities to export advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China.

• “The U.S. has urged Japan not only to comply but also to take a more proactive role in fostering a rules-based order in the Pacific,” noted William Chou, the deputy director of the Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair.
• He further emphasized, “If American politicians choose to derail a planned merger involving a close ally, Japan might respond by adopting a more passive stance, allowing the U.S. to take the lead and following only when it is clear what the prevailing sentiment is in Washington.”
• “Such a shift would represent a significant loss for both nations,” he concluded.