TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's trade and finance ministries said on Wednesday they will initiate an anti-dumping investigation into graphite electrodes from China.

The electrodes are an industrial material used in electric arc furnace steelmaking.

The Japanese government decided to launch the probe in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements and domestic laws, after receiving an application from Japanese graphite makers SEC Carbon, Tokai Carbon and Nippon Carbon, the ministries said in a statement.

(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Tom Hogue)