TRADE

EU Scolds U.S. on Trade Dispute: European foreign ministers waded into the simmering trade war between Japan and the United States, criticizing Washington for trying to open Japan’s car market with unilateral measures instead of using a global trade forum. Ministers of the 15 European Union nations said they “condemn unilateral measures and recourse to quantitative export objectives, which infringe both the spirit and the letter” of the World Trade Organization. The statement said EU governments share U.S. concerns about Japan’s markets but that they “encourage” Washington to rely on the WTO to settle the dispute. If no agreement is reached by June 28 on U.S. access to Japan’s auto and auto-parts markets, the United States plans to impose a 100% tariff on 13 Japanese luxury cars. Japan, meanwhile, asked that talks be restarted soon in Geneva. The United States had suggested a June 20 session in Washington, D.C.