Japan tried to be the adult in the room on Tuesday, avoiding making public comments on Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco GoncalvesтАЩ provocative remarks over Nippon SteelтАЩs takeover bid for U.S. Steel, one day after Goncalves described Japan as тАЬevil.тАЭ
тАЬWe are aware of the news reports, but the government would like to refrain from commenting on every single statement made by the management of single companies,тАЭ Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular news conference, dodging questions on the matter.
But GoncalvesтАЩ remarks have nevertheless stunned many in Tokyo. A senior Foreign Ministry official described them as shocking, saying they couldnтАЩt quite understand what Goncalves was talking about.
