Firms Say Japanese Dumping Computer Screens : High tech: The formal complaint could lead the Commerce Department to impose penalty tariffs of up to 318%.

A group of American manufacturers on Tuesday filed an anti-dumping complaint against 12 of Japan’s largest electronics makers, alleging that they are selling advanced computer screens in the United States at below cost to drive out their American competitors.

The complaint, filed with the U.S. Commerce Department, is the first anti-dumping action involving Japanese high technology products in recent years. Nonetheless, it underscores the continuing frustration of many U.S. electronics companies as they attempt to compete with larger, better financed and often more far-sighted Japanese rivals.

The complaint was filed by the Advanced Display Manufacturers of America, a group of seven small makers of computer screens. If the complaint is upheld by U.S. authorities, the offending Japanese products could be subject to penalty tariffs of 71% to 318% over their current U.S. prices, an action that would certainly drive up the cost of laptop and other personal computers using those screens.

At issue are a variety of advanced computer screens--generically known as flat-panel displays--that are becoming increasingly important as personal computers become smaller and more portable. While flat-panel screens account for less than 10% of the total computer screens currently sold--bulky cathode ray tubes have the remainder--as many as 50% of all PCs will have these advanced screens within the next five years, according to some estimates.

And the likelihood is that the screens will be made in Japan. Japanese manufacturers currently account for about 90% of the flat-panel display market, according to industry representatives.

Flat-panel display technology traces its roots to research conducted in the 1960s and 1970s at the David Sarnoff Research Center, once a part of RCA, and at Westinghouse. However, as with other key advanced technologies already lost to foreign competitors, the U.S. companies failed to cash in commercially on their inventions immediately.

“The Japanese didn’t steal our markets. This is our fault,” said one industry consultant. “We didn’t pursue this technology until now, when we realized, after the Japanese showed us, how important it is.”

According to Paul Rosenthal, the Washington attorney representing the U.S. industry group, Japanese flat-panel makers are pricing their products for as little as one-third their actual cost, or anywhere from 10% to 66% below their U.S. competitors. The result, he said, was about $164 million worth of business lost by U.S. flat-panel makers.

Named in the complaint were Fujitsu, Hoshiden Electronics, Kyocera, NEC, Matsushita Electronics, Optrex, Seiko Epson, Seiko Instruments & Electronics, Sharp, Toshiba, Hitachi and Matsushita Electrical Industrial.

Companies joining in the complaint are Planar Systems, Plasmaco, Ovonic Imaging Systems, Cherry Corp., Electro-Plasma, Photonics Technology and Magnascreen.

U.S. regulators have 11 to 14 months to complete their review of the complaint and make a final determination.

However, an initial ruling could come in less than six months.