Japan (and Slovenia) Become "Qualifying Countries"

To implement recently executed reciprocal defense procurement agreements with Japan and Slovenia, DoD on August 2 issued a final rule adding both countries to the list of 23 other “qualifying countries.” This designation will open DoD procurements to products from these countries, allow U.S. defense contractors to incorporate manufactured components from those countries into their end products as if they were U.S. manufactured components, and obviate specialty metal restrictions regarding those countries and their end products and components.