Japan businesses in China seek transparency in dual-use export controls

BEIJING (Kyodo) — A group representing Japanese businesses in China on Thursday urged Beijing to enhance transparency in its implementation of export controls on dual-use items that are believed to include rare earths, saying the measures have even affected items “purely for civilian purposes.” Tetsuro Homma, head of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, said the tighter Chinese export curbs introduced earlier this year amid a Tokyo-Beijing diplomatic row have resulted in rare-earth supply shortages in Japan, causing trouble to many companies. In February, China banned exports of items which can be used for both civilian and…