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Japan firms must prepare for Trump tariff fallout, Suntory chief states in Davos

Japanese companies stay bullish about investing in the United States however require to prepare for supply chain shocks that might occur during Donald Trump's presidency, the president of drinks huge Suntory Holdings said on Wednesday.

Takeshi Niinami, who also heads among Japan's biggest company lobbies, said on the sidelines of the World Economic Online forum's (WEF) Davos conference that it is important for companies to show that their investments will produce tasks in the U.S.

A study recently revealed that most Japanese companies running in the United States are bracing for brand-new tariffs.

Tariff imposing by the Trump administration would create huge, unexpected modifications in the supply chain landscape, Niinami told the Reuters Global Markets Forum.

Japanese business have to be agile to react to any change, he added.

Japan maintains a large trade surplus with the U.S., a. sore point for Trump, however that friction might relieve as the Asian. nation expands its armed force through purchases of American-made. weapons, he said.

Niinami, 65, is among Japan's most prominent executives,. working as chair of the Keizai Doyukai business lobby and as an. economic advisor to prime ministers.

In 2014, he ended up being the first non-founding family member to. lead century-old Suntory, engineering a $16 billion takeover of. U.S. spirits maker Beam that year. He will cede the function of. president to Nobuhiro Torii, the great-grandson of Suntory's. creator, in March while staying CEO.

Niinami held out hope that Nippon Steel's $14.9. billion bid for U.S. Steel could be restored after the offer. was obstructed by then President Joe Biden earlier this month.

Nippon Steel has actually taken legal action against to reverse Biden's choice. If the. Japanese firm can make the case that the companies would be. stronger together against China and can revitalise U.S. industry, that might sway the case, Niinami said.

As for his own company, Suntory is reconsidering financial investments. in China due to an absence of favorable signs in the market, however it. aspires to grow in India through regional partnerships and. production.

We want to be somebody in India, he stated.

(source: Reuters)