US Customs authorities announced on the 20th that they have begun accepting refund applications from companies for mutual tariffs collected under IEEPA (the International Emergency Economic Powers Act), the legal authority the Trump administration used to impose the levies. Japanese firms affected by the tariffs are among those now eligible to begin the reimbursement process. The move marks a notable shift in trade policy and offers potential financial relief to international businesses caught in the crossfire of recent US tariff actions.