Chinese producers are starting to feel the pinch of Japanese restrictions. That has led Chinese officials to retaliate by curbing the amount of cars they allow into China from Japan. May. But it has not issued any quotas so far this year. An official at China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation told The Wall Street Journal that auto-import curbs have been put in place as a response to Japan's restrictions. Car dealers in China say it is impossible to get licenses to import Japanese cars.
Japan awaits official word Japan is still waiting for official word of the curbs.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is investigating any chilling effect on its carmakers, which sold 47,000 cars in China last year. At the Beijing talks, Chinese officials said they were only addressing the farm products quotas and were not responsible for the auto imports. They promised to inform Japan of official action. But China has a history of hitting back in trade wars by capping its trade partners' most-popular products. Last year, it launched a lengthy trade battle with South Korea over sales of Chinese garlic.