TOKYO, June 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. government's

ownership of a golden share in U.S. Steel will not block

Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) from taking any management action that it

deems appropriate, the Japanese steelmaker's CEO said on

Thursday.

Eiji Hashimoto was speaking at a press conference in Tokyo a

day after Japan's top steelmaker closed its $14.9 billion

acquisition of U.S. Steel, confirming the companies agreed to

give the U.S. government unusual power, helping to end Nippon

Steel's ( NISTF ) 18-month struggle to reach a deal.

The national security agreement inked with the Trump

administration hands the government a non-economic golden share

and gives the president the authority to name a board member.

"It won't prevent us from doing what we want to do,"

Hashimoto said, when asked how the golden share would influence

management freedom.

He said the golden share was proposed by Nippon Steel ( NISTF ).

The ultimate deal reached with the U.S. government

represents an unusual level of control conceded by the companies

to save the deal, after a rocky path to approval spurred by

high-level political opposition.

The golden share gives the U.S. government a veto over a

potential relocation of U.S. Steel's headquarters from

Pittsburgh, a transfer of jobs overseas, a name change, and any

potential future acquisition of a rival business.

The agreement inked with the administration also stipulates

that Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) must make capital investments of about $11

billion in the U.S. by 2028.

Hashimoto said he saw no issue with that requirement because

the company intended to expand investments beyond its current

plans. The Trump administration's policy shift towards imposing

higher tariffs increases the strategic importance of the U.S.

Steel acquisition, he said.