Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a letter to US President Joe Biden asking him to approve Nippon Steel’s acquisition of US Steel. To avoid spoiling recent efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Biden joined a powerful American labor union in opposing the acquisition of the prestigious American company by the largest Japanese steel manufacturer for $15 billion, and referred the matter to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a secret government committee that reviews foreign investments. In search of national security risks. The deadline for CFIUS review is next month Before President-elect Donald Trump – who has vowed to block the deal – takes office on January 20.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States may approve the deal, perhaps with measures to address national security concerns, or recommend that the president block it. The review may also be extended.

“Japan stands as the largest investor in the United States, with its investments showing a steady upward trend,” Ishiba said in the letter, according to a copy of the text seen by Reuters. “The continuation of this upward trend of Japanese investment in the United States benefits both our countries and highlights the strength of the Japan-US alliance to the world.” The sources confirmed that it was sent to Biden on November 20

“Under your presidency, this alliance has reached unprecedented strength,” Ishiba continued. We respectfully ask the US government to approve the planned acquisition of Nippon Steel so as not to overshadow the achievements ach The US Embassy in Japan declined to comment. Ishiba’s office referred questions to the Foreign Ministry, which had no immediate comment. Nippon Steel declined to comment, and US Steel did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours in the United States.

sieved over the past four years,” the letter stated.

Ishiba’s direct approach appears to represent a shift in the Japanese government’s position on the deal, which has become a hot political issue in a key US swing state in the run-up to the November 5 presidential election.

Ishiba’s predecessor, Fumio Kishida, had sought to distance his management from the controversial takeover, describing it as a private business matter even as political opposition mounted in the United States.