[TOKYO] Japan is set to temporarily impose higher tariffs on US beef with imports for the fiscal year ending this month expected to exceed the maximum amount, Kyodo News reported.

It would be the first time for the safeguard measures to be imposed on US beef since August 2017, Kyodo said.

Japan has imported more than 233,112 tonnes of US beef as of the end of February, just shy of the maximum 242,000 tonnes agreed for this fiscal year, Kyodo said.

With the safeguard measures, the tariff would rise to 38.5 per cent from 25.8 per cent for 30 days, it said.

REUTERS