TOKYO, June 3 (Reuters) - Nippon Steel's ( NISTF ) vice chairman

plans to return to the United States this week for more

talks over the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel and

would study selling some assets if necessary for the deal to go

through.

Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori's visit so soon after a May

20-26 trip highlights the efforts Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) is taking to

close the purchase amid growing regulatory scrutiny and

political opposition. That includes resistance from President

Joe Biden, who wants U.S. Steel to remain domestically owned,

and objections from the powerful United Steelworkers (USW) union

over fears of job losses.

The deal would give Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) greater access to the

profitable U.S. market and further its long-term financial

goals.

The two steelmakers said last month that they have received

all regulatory approvals outside of the United States for their

proposed $14.9 billion merger, a step forward towards the

completion of the controversial deal.

Mori said in a May 30 interview he will return to the U.S.

this week for more talks, including in Washington D.C. This

follows his May 20-26 trip to meet business and political

leaders, including four U.S. senators, and community leaders in

Pennsylvania, where U.S. Steel is based.

Mori said that Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) might examine selling some

assets if that is required by U.S. regulators to approve the

deal.

"If the U.S. authorities tell me: you have to do this

otherwise this deal can not be admitted, in that case we should

study this seriously," he said.

A manufacturing plant in Calvert, Alabama, jointly owned by

Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) and Luxemburg-based ArcelorMittal, is a

focus of antitrust concerns by U.S. authorities, Politico

reported in March.

However Mori downplayed the likelihood of any asset sales

saying, "I do not think this is necessary for this deal's

closure."

During the May visit, Mori said he pointed to the 2011

takeover of U.S. company Standard Steel by Sumitomo Metal

Industries, which is now part of Nippon Steel ( NISTF ), as an example of

what he hopes the U.S. Steel purchase could achieve.

Standard became profitable in 2013 after that deal and has

continued to be through technology transfers and the dispatch of

highly qualified engineers from Japan, he said.

JOB SECURITY

Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) has sought to address the job security concerns

raised by the USW by pledging to honour all agreements in place

between U.S. Steel and the union. It is also promising to

additionally invest $1.4 billion to upgrade U.S. Steel

factories.

However, a number of meeting requests by Mori to the head of

the USW since their last meeting in March have not been

accepted, he said.

"The USW says our offers are not good enough, but it is not

clear what is not good enough," Mori said, citing the need for a

face-to-face meeting. "We are always open to talk."

The world's No. 4 steelmaker wants to build public opinion

to back the deal, hoping this may push the union to come to the

table, Mori said, adding that his confidence in the deal

succeeding is "growing stronger".

In an email to Reuters, the USW called Nippon Steel's ( NISTF )

proposals "hollow promises".

"The USW has already expressed its deep and ongoing concerns

with the proposed sale and agrees with President Biden and

others who have called for U.S. Steel to remain domestically

owned and operated," it said.

Mori believes the takeover process would likely run more

smoothly after the U.S. presidential election as the deal will

be no longer a political issue.

If completed by the end of December as planned, the deal

should boost Nippon Steel's ( NISTF ) annual business profit by 150

billion yen ($954 million) or more, helping to achieve its

long-term goal of reaching 1 trillion yen profit in the 2025

financial year, Mori said.

($1 = 157.2000 yen)