US to negotiate over robot and machinery imports under Section 232, no new tariffs yet
On October 28, President Trump issued a proclamation directing negotiations with other countries over imports of robotics and industrial machinery under Section 232. As of that day it did not include additional tariffs or other import restrictions. Japan exports a lot in the product category involved, so machinery makers and traders should keep watching.
Key points
- The October 28 proclamation, issued under Section 232, directs the Commerce Secretary and the US Trade Representative to negotiate with other countries; no additional tariffs were included as of that day
- HS84, which covers the investigated machinery, was the second-largest category of US imports from Japan in 2025, after HS87 (vehicles and parts)
- A progress report on negotiations is due at least once within 180 days of the proclamation, and the Commerce Secretary will monitor imports and report to the President if further action is needed
Background
Section 232 lets the President impose tariffs or other restrictions when the Commerce Secretary finds that imports of a product threaten national security. Commerce opened its robotics and industrial machinery investigation in September 2025, covering items such as CNC machining centers, lathes and milling machines, grinding equipment and industrial presses.
The proclamation says these machines are essential for defense production, that the US relies on imports including parts, and that domestic output does not meet demand. According to JETRO, 11 of the 13 Section 232 investigations under the second Trump administration have concluded and 7 led to tariffs. Critical minerals, civil aircraft and wind turbines ended the same way as this case: with an instruction to keep negotiating.
What it means for shops
Because no tariff was added right away, the immediate effect on US-bound prices looks limited. The proclamation leaves room for further measures, though, so small manufacturers that export machine tools, industrial machinery or parts to the US, and the trading firms that handle them, should follow the negotiations closely.
What shops should do
- Check whether your products fall under the HS84 categories involved by confirming their tariff classification codes
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Summaries are written by Seiichi Studio based on the original releases. Always check the source for the exact details.