Nippon Steel is pushing to restart its acquisition of US Steel (X.US) and will consult with the US Department of Commerce.

Nippon Steel & Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metals President Nobuo Ikeda said on Feb. 25 that the company would hold talks with the U.S. Commerce Department in an effort to restart its plan to buy U.S. Steel Corp. (X).

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Feb. 17 that Nippon Steel had changed its thinking about U.S. steel under Trump, saying "now the consideration of the transaction intention is investment rather than acquisition... We need to take necessary measures to ensure that it is beneficial to both sides."

Ikeda said in Tokyo: "The starting point of our discussion with the U.S. government will be this merger agreement." "Next, we will discuss with the U.S. government how to get President Trump's approval of the agreement."

Trump earlier this month said he had no problem with a Japanese company buying a minority stake in U.S. Steel, after he said tariffs would save the U.S. steel industry and the company did not need to do a deal with Nippon Steel.

Nippon Steel has been trying to get approval for its plan to buy U.S. Steel, despite regulatory and political hurdles. Former President Joe Biden blocked the deal on national security grounds before leaving office in January.

Japanese media reports that Economic Industry Minister Yoshiaki Murai is expected to visit the U.S. in March and may discuss the deal.