Nearly 75 expect Trump presidency to hurt business environment
Half of Japanese firms see higher earnings in next fiscal year
Majority of firms see BOJ head capable of normalising policy

TOKYO, Dec 12 Reuters Nearly threequarters of Japanese companies expect Donald Trump39;s next term as U.S. president to have a negative impact on their business environment, citing planned tariff hikes and U.S.China trade tensions as causes of concern, a Reuters survey showed.

Trump returns to the White House in January, having threatened tariffs in excess of 60 on U.S. imports of Chinese goods. A Reuters poll of economists predicts those initial tariffs could be imposed from early next year, with the median estimate at 38 and projections ranging from 15 to 60.

Trump has also threatened levies of 25 on goods from Canada as well as Mexico, where several Japanese automakers have factories.

It39;s hard to predict his policies, and that makes it difficult for our client companies to make investment decisions, a manager at a machinery maker wrote in the survey.

While 73 of respondents said Trump39;s second tenure at the White House would not be good for their business environment, the rest expect positive impacts, citing an expected expansion of U.S. domestic demand through tax cuts as well as likely revisions to energy and environmental policies.

Asked what measures they would take if Trump hikes tariffs, twothirds of the survey respondents said their business strategy was unlikely…