TOKYO, Feb 16: Japan said on Friday it will join in a US complaint against China at the WTO over Beijing's industrial subsidies.

“We are planning to participate in the complaint as a third-party country,” trade minister Akira Amari told reporters.

He said Japan decided to join the complaint after a request from Washington and hoped that China would address the subsidies issue.

“We have been providing China with aid and know-how since it joined the WTO so that they can make necessary changes,” Amari said.

“This action by Japan to join the complaint as a third party is done in a spirit to encourage China to carry out the needed efforts.” The United States took China to the WTO on February 2, getting tough after years of quiet diplomacy. The global body will set up a settlement panel if the two nations fail to iron out the dispute within 60 days.

The US alleges that Beijing's state subsidies for steel, paper, information technology and other industries make Chinese goods artificially cheap and prevent US companies from competing fairly.

Amari acknowledged that Japanese firms that have Chinese partners have benefited greatly from the protective measures.—AFP