Japan sanctioned nine people and one entity under its terrorist sanctions regime for their links to Hamas, the Ministry of Finance announced, according to an unofficial translation. The designations target three Palestinian nationals, four Jordanian nationals, one Sudanese national and one Egyptian national. It also sanctioned Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry recently updated its list of common "high-priority" goods barred from being exported to Russia, according to an unofficial translation. The items on the list, updated Oct. 20, include electronics parts, such as integrated circuits and transistors, wireless equipment and cameras. The full list has 45 types of goods, sorted into four tiers based on the level of importance to the Russian government. The move comes about one month after the U.S. and others expanded their list of common high-priority items that exporters and others should closely monitor for potential diversion to Russia (see 2309200031).

South Korea will look to Tanzania, in addition to ramping up domestic production, to secure graphite as a result of China's impending export controls on the critical mineral (see 2310200030), South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said this month, according to an unofficial translation. The agency said it will need to continue to monitor the situation and will look to "secure additional response capabilities" by supporting domestic artificial graphite production and securing long-term supply contracts with "private companies with mines in third countries such as Tanzania."

Australia and China officially agreed to resolve World Trade Organization disputes over Chinese duties on Australian wine and Australian duties on Chinese wind towers, China’s Commerce Ministry said Oct. 22. The two sides “conducted friendly consultations under the WTO framework on WTO dispute” and “have reached consensus on properly resolving them,” a ministry spokesperson said, according to an unofficial translation. “We are willing to work with Australia to continue to meet each other halfway through dialogue and consultation, and jointly promote the stable and healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations.”

Japan is assessing whether China’s recent export restrictions on certain graphite products (see 2310200030), a key material used to produce batteries for electric vehicles, violated World Trade Organization rules, the country’s chief cabinet secretary told reporters last week, according to an audio translation released by Japan. Japan is “scrutinizing the impact” of the restrictions and is seeking more information from Beijing about the “intention and purpose” of the controls, the secretary said. “Based on WTO international rules, if an unfair measure is taken against Japan, then we have to take appropriate measures based on rules.”

China on Oct. 20 announced new export controls on certain graphite products, placing restrictions on a key material used to produce batteries for electric vehicles. The country's Ministry of Commerce will require companies to secure export licenses for high-purity, high-strength artificial graphite materials and their products, along with natural flake graphite and its products, according to an unofficial translation of a notice.

Australia's antidumping commission recommended against renewing the antidumping duties on wind towers from China when they expire on April 16, 2024. Issuing the findings of a sunset review of the duties on Oct. 16, the commission said that revoking the duties wouldn't cause damage to the domestic industry.

The U.S. should "lift" its newest semiconductor export controls on China "as soon as possible," China's Ministry of Commerce said Oct. 18, according to an unofficial translation. The ministry said the moves abuse export control measures, "generalize the concept of national security" and are "unilateral bullying." The country "will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests." The new controls were announced in two rules by the Bureau of Industry and Security this week (see 2310170055).

Certain logistics companies and other parties that were previously eligible to be importers of record when shipping into Japan may no longer qualify as an IOR after a recent clarification by Japan’s customs authority, DLA Piper said in a client alert last week. The firm said it “may be worth reviewing the existing arrangements used for exporting goods to Japan to confirm who” must pay the Japanese consumption tax, which is done by the IOR, and who will be entitled to claim tax credit for that paid tax.

Logistics companies, especially those based in China, should closely examine their U.S. export control risks, particularly after the Commerce Department added a range of Chinese logistics firms to the Entity List earlier this month for their involvement in microelectronics exports to Russia (see 2310060044), major Asian law firm King & Wood Mallesons said in a client alert last week.