TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s authorities on Friday mentioned it plans to limit exports of 23 forms of semiconductor manufacturing gear, aligning it with a U.S. push to curb China’s potential to make superior chips.

The commerce and business minister in a press launch mentioned it can impose export controls on six classes of kit utilized in chip manufacturing, together with cleansing, deposition, lithography and etching. It didn’t specify China because the goal of these measures, saying gear makers might want to search export permission for all areas.

“We’re fulfilling our duty as a technological nation to contribute to worldwide peace and stability,” the ministry mentioned, including that its objective was to cease superior know-how getting used for army functions.

The export restrictions, which can come into pressure in July, are prone to have an effect on gear manufactured by a dozen Japanese corporations, reminiscent of Nikon (OTC:) Corp and Tokyo Electron Ltd.

Tokyo’s determination comes after the U.S. in October imposed sweeping restrictions on chipmaking device exports to China citing issues that Beijing deliberate to make use of superior chips to boost its army energy. Washington, nonetheless, wants Japan and the Netherlands, the opposite key suppliers of such gear, to hitch it to make these restrictions efficient.

The Netherlands’ authorities in a letter to the nation’s parliament this month additionally mentioned it plans to limit chipmaking gear exports. Dutch firm ASML Holding (NASDAQ:) NV is a key provider to superior lithography machines.

Japan and the Netherlands in January agreed be part of the U.S. in prohibit chipmaking gear exports to China, sources earlier mentioned, though Tokyo has by no means publicly acknowledged that there was an settlement.

China has accused the U.S. of being a “tech hegemony” due to its export restrictions.