Japan is seriously concerned about the rising use of anti-dumping charges and other forms of "murky protectionism" being taken by trading partners amid the global economic slowdown, according to a senior Tokyo trade official.

In an interview with the FT, Hiroyuki Ishige, vice minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti), said overt violations of free trade rules had been relatively limited since the onset of the slump last year, but warned that governments remained under huge pressure to shield their markets.