Posted on 04/20/2025 10:21:27 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
It looks as though trade progress is being made with Japan, as concessions about automobiles were reported on this weekend, signaling that Trump administration could be heading towards a revised agreement with the key ally nation.
Japan may loosen auto safety rules for U.S. imports to address President Trump’s concerns over the low number of American cars sold there, Nikkei reports. With differing safety standards between the two countries, Tokyo is eyeing crash test regulations as a possible trade concession, according to Nikkei.
During a White House meeting, Trump criticized Japan’s trade surplus and poor U.S. auto sales. Cabinet-level talks focused on non-tariff barriers, particularly in the auto and agriculture sectors.
(Excerpt) Read more at asia.nikkei.com ...
Rice price has doubled in Japan and it was the first time ever I saw Calrose in a market for 3/4 of Japanese price. There’s a limit of 5kg per person and it ran out quickly. Trade deals will benefit Japan while slowing down the shipping of manufacturing to China.
Why would the Japanese want to buy an American car?
Answer: They don’t
Per AI
Very few new U.S.-made cars are sold in Japan. In 2024, sales of American cars in Japan totaled around 16,700 units, including brands like Jeep, Chevrolet, and Cadillac. For comparison, total foreign-brand vehicle sales in Japan were 227,202 units, and the vast majority of those were German brands. American brands did not represent a substantial share of the Japanese market.
Given that Japan’s annual new car market is typically around 4.2 million vehicles, American cars accounted for less than 0.5% of new cars sold in Japan in 2024. This extremely low percentage highlights the limited presence of U.S. car brands in the Japanese market.
I walked by a dude in a Chevy Silverado in Kanagawa today so
very few Asians buy American made cars is the corollary...
very few Asians, in the USA, buy American made cars is the corollary...
(fixed)
American cars are not perceived as quality cars.
Japanese mini-trucks are showing up in auctions. None are left-hand drive, but that doesn’t seem to lower the US demand.
,,, where I am (New Zealand), it's more like American brands aren't interested in being here. For decades it's been a big deal to get a US vehicle because they were seen as a threat to the GM and Ford manufacturers in Australia. Tesla is available as is Jeep but nothing else really comes to mind.
,,, sorry Jonty30, I don’t know how this post got to you.
“very few Asians, in the USA, buy American made cars is the corollary...”
Well they sure love their Teslas in So Cal.
In a lot of ways Japan is correct. American cars are designed to have parts failures so they can keep selling you part. All part of the profits. Japanese cars put American to shame when it comes to pure longevity.
"American cars are designed to have parts failures so they can keep selling you part. All part of the profits. Japanese cars put American to shame when it comes to pure longevity"
In the USA maybe. They are probably over engineered for the Japanese market because.... "Japanese car owners often scrap or sell their vehicles after ten years primarily due to the expensive shaken inspection system and the high cost of keeping older cars roadworthy.
Once a car is three years old, it requires a rigorous inspection, and this inspection becomes more frequent and costly as the car ages, particularly after ten years. These inspections, plus other maintenance and registration fees, can be more expensive than simply purchasing a new car. The shaken inspection can cost up to $1,000 per inspection"
This is why there has been a vigorous low milage Japanese engine resale business in the USA. These motors are brought over mostly in perfect condition due to shaken inspection costs.
There's a lot of truth in that. I always bought GM cars until GM got financially bailed out. Went to Toyota and learned they simply don't fall apart. My current Corolla is 11 years old now, and I haven't had any maintenance issues other than normal tire, battery, and wiper blade replacement.
if American cars were still big, they would sell like hot cakes... there is no difference in the eyes of long-legged people between a foreign little pos car and an American little pos car...
Back in the 70’s, if you had an American car last 100,000 miles it was unusual. Detroit planned it that way.
Then the 1973 oil crisis happened and American buyers started looking for more efficient cars. The American public discovered the “cheap” Japanese cars like Toyota, Datsun and Honda that not only cost less, sipped gas, but lasted forever. Also, about that same time the emissions controls and safety standards started thereby raising the cost even more. In order to be competitive, Detroit cut quality.
We haven’t bought a Big Three car in decades.
Between legacy costs and crappy design and reliability, we just won’t touch them.
Why in heck would anyone in Japan want a car from an American car company??
Oh boy I would love to have one of those mini-trucks from Japan. I don’t care if it is right hand drive so long as it is a manual transmission with a dump body.
Those things would be great around my area running down to get some stone, bark mulch, wood, etc...
Whoops.
We have bought one.
How could I forget Bertha.
They don’t make them like that anymore.
Literally.
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