Despite Blocked US Steel Bid, Japan Won’t Stop Seeking American Deals

As signs emerged that President Biden was gearing up to stop the Japanese steel maker Nippon Steel from acquiring Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel, top Japanese officials repeatedly warned that quashing the merger would hinder economic ties between the allies.

Japan’s biggest business lobby, Keidanren, said in September that America’s investability would be tarnished if Nippon Steel’s $15 billion bid was blocked. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan reached out to Mr. Biden asking him to approve the deal during what he called a critical juncture.

In the United States, during a heated presidential campaign, both Mr. Biden and his opponent, Donald J. Trump, came out against the Japanese acquisition of U.S. Steel, an iconic American company in a key electoral state. Mr. Biden on Friday stopped the merger from going forward, arguing that foreign control of U.S. Steel would jeopardize America’s national security.

Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel assailed Mr. Biden’s decision, calling the deal’s review “deeply corrupted by politics” and its rejection “shocking.” The companies said on Friday they would consider taking legal action to try to revive the deal.

But while Mr. Biden’s decision sends a worrying sign to Japanese leaders about the perils of American politics, it is not expected to stop other companies from seeking to do deals in the United States.

Japanese businesses have had little choice but to move significantly toward the United States in recent years, as they have had a harder time investing in China. Now, in anticipation of a second Trump administration, executives are even more busily lining up fresh investments in America.