President Donald Trump on Monday informed leaders of Japan and South Korea that the U.S. would impose 25% import tariffs on all goods made in these countries and shipped to the U.S. starting August 1. The move affects all industries, but the high-tech sector will likely face dramatic challenges as the vast majority of the world's memory is made in Japan and South Korea. In fact, Micron and SanDisk produce their DRAM and 3D NAND chips in Japan.
U.S. President Donald Trump sent formal letters to Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung, informing them that new import duties of 25% will be applied to all goods from their respective countries starting August 1. This measure aims to address trade imbalances in the current trade relationships that are believed to be heavily skewed in favor of Japan and South Korea due to protectionist measures, including tariffs and regulatory barriers. As a result, all Japanese and Korean imports will face a flat 25% duty, separate from existing tariffs by sector.
