US threatens Japan with trade sanctions in apple dispute

Reports in the Japanese press say that the United States has threatened to impose $143.4 million in trade sanctions on Japan for its alleged failure to soften quarantine standards on U.S. apple imports in accordance with World Trade Organization rulings. A WTO ruling in November 2003 required Japan to soften its quarantine requirements, but US trade officials are unhappy with the revisions made by Japan, prompting them to threaten the retaliatory sanctions.