China is threatening Japan with comprehensive economic countermeasures if Japan tightens the terms for selling technical equipment for manufacturing computer chips to Chinese companies. The threat comes after the USA tries to pressure its allies around the world to limit deliveries of advanced technology to China.
The threat is feared, among other things, to affect the automotive industry, such as Toyota Motor, which imports large quantities of critical minerals from China for its car manufacturing, reports Bloomberg, citing several sources.
China temporarily stopped the export of rare earth elements to Japan in 2010, following a geopolitical dispute between the countries, which had significant effects on Japan's entire technology sector.