The United States has imposed a 50% additional tariff on imports from Canada, with negotiations to review the USMCA expected to gain momentum in 2026. This will mark a turning point with implications for Japanese companies’ North American strategies.
On 22 August 2026, the United States imposed a 50% additional tariff on several hundred items from Canada. The affected products include plywood, alcoholic beverages, electrical equipment and hockey equipment, with a total value estimated at approximately $20 billion. The new tariffs are based on Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
In response, Canada announced that it would impose retaliatory tariffs of the same amount from 8 September. Although the United States and Canada are mutually important trading partners, the current situation is taking on the character of a trade war, and negotiations to review the USMCA are expected to gain momentum in 2026.
This article explains the impact on the strategies of Japanese companies using North America as a production and export base, while organizing key terminology such as maquiladoras, NAFTA and IMMEX, Mexico’s temporary import and export program. It also outlines how NAFTA was replaced by the USMCA and the functions of IMMEX.