Japan may downgrade S. Korea’s preferred nation status in August – officials

Japanese officials have said they are pursuing procedures to downgrade South Korea’s preferred nation status as Tokyo expands export controls over sensitive materials.

The cabinet is set to approve a plan to drop South Korea from a list of 27 countries granted preferential trade status as early as August 2, Japanese media reported on Friday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga did not confirm the date, but said Japan is going ahead as planned. The delisting would take effect three weeks after the cabinet’s approval, and that would be around August 23, AP said.

“A planned removal of South Korea’s ‘white nation’ status is an appropriate measure in order for Japan to effectively carry out export controls,” Suga said.