If the U.S. draws up a friends and family list and Japan is not on that list, then I’d question [what country] would make that list.”

A decision on the national security review is potentially pushed out until after November’s presidential vote.

A US security panel has granted Nippon Steel Corp. permission to refile its plans to purchase United States Steel Corp., for $14.1 billion, likely pushing a decision on the politically contentious takeover past the US elections in November,