Japan official says 'we have to see' if S.Korea is dropped from trade list

There is no need to speculate whether Japan will drop South Korea from its list of favored trade partners on Friday, a Japanese diplomat said.

Japan is expected to drop South Korea from its white list of countries that enjoy minimum trade restrictions, which South Korean officials said was "highly likely" to happen on Friday.

Jun Saito, a deputy press secretary in Tokyo's foreign ministry, on Thursday told reporters in the Thai capital that media reports indicated the decision was imminent, but "We have to see the situation."

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