Trump’s ‘joke’ about Japanese car inspections dropping bowling balls leaves Tokyo perplexed

japantimes.co.jp ^ | March 16, 2018 | Shusuke Murai

[Berlin_Freeper]

A remark made by U.S. President Donald Trump, that Japan drops bowling balls on U.S. cars during inspection to shut them out of the market, later described as a joke by the White House, has left Tokyo perplexed.

During a fundraising speech in Missouri on Wednesday that was transcribed by The Washington Post on Thursday, Trump criticized Japan for conducting unfair inspections on U.S. cars to keep them out of the Japanese market.

“It’s called the bowling ball test, do you know what that is? That’s where they take a bowling ball from 20 feet up in the air and they drop it on the hood of the car. And if the hood dents, then the car doesn’t qualify. Well, guess what, the roof dented a little bit, and they said, nope, this car doesn’t qualify. It’s horrible, the way we’re treated. It’s horrible,” he reportedly said.

In Tokyo on Friday, a Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry official in charge of vehicle inspections said the president’s remarks were based on “a mere misunderstanding,” saying Japan has never conducted such tests.

[o-n-money]

Three toed sloths hate Trump too.

[wastedyears]

I gotta say, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Japanese did something like that. They’re kinda weird, in an endearing way.

[Berlin_Freeper]

You don’t think it’s a funny joke?

[Bikkuri]

Many American car wouldn’t even FIT on many Japanese streets.
:p

I was very surprised a few years ago when I saw a Hummer driving through Shibuya.

[21twelve]

It would have been even funnier if he had said it ON the Missouri, not in Missouri.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks so much for your support to this point... I personally apprecaite it...
FReepers, it's far beyond time to wrap up this FReep-a-thon.  Lets do it today.  Please chip in.

President Donald J. Trump and the Free Republic of the United States of America
President Donald J. Trump's address to the United Nations on 09/19/2017.

Ramirez political cartoon:  Elizabeth Warren LARGE VERSION 03/15/2018: LINK  LINK to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).
Garrison political cartoon:  the Fall of Hillary LARGE VERSION 03/15/2018: LINK  LINK (scroll down) to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).

FReepers, 91.705% of the First Quarter FReep-a-thon goal has been met.  Click above and pencil in your donation now.  Please folks, lets end this FReepathon.  Thank you!
...this is a general all-purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

Just $260.00 dollars to 92.00%

[jonrick46]

"Transport and Tourism Ministry official in charge of vehicle inspections said the president’s remarks were based on “a mere misunderstanding,” saying Japan has never conducted such tests."

Of course tests using bowling balls were not made. President Trump was using the figure of speech called a metaphor. To take what he said literally reveals a failure of language understanding.

[Berlin_Freeper]

At least they probably imported the bowling ball.

[LibWhacker]

Not a joke. A metaphor.

[Cowboy Bob]

The Japanese have no sense of humor!

[jonascord]

Japanese consumers would do the "ball bearing" test.

They would take a ball bearing and let it roll down the gap between the hood and fender. If the gap wasn't even, from end to end, they wouldn't buy the car.

No US cars could pass the test. They wondered why Americans were tolerating such junk...

[lefty-lie-spy]

Yeah, Hummers l, Escalades, Lamboughinis, Mauybachs galore here in Tokyo, but you can’t get them down every street in town.

[ltc8k6]

http://www.nasva.go.jp/mamoru/en/assessment_car/head_protection_test.html

They do indeed do a “bowling ball” sort of test. It is to simulate head impacts.

[Joe Boucher]

Countries like Japan, Korea, Germany etc sell their vehicles here with NO penalties.
Try selling a Harley or Cadillac in one of these places. Korea, 400 percent import tax, Japan? ya can’t sell there, too many import blocks. Germany? good luck but hey, all youse countries can screw America.
How about duties?

[vette6387]

“I was very surprised a few years ago when I saw a Hummer driving through Shibuya.”

Well, I was in Kyoto and saw a Chevy 3/4 ton crew cab dualie. It had a California front place and one of those “neon” Japanese license plates on the back. But you’re right it almost didn’t fit. It was white, which is the color the government says all cars there should be because it makes them cheaper to produce. The Japanese people are such lemmings when it comes to doing what the government wants them to do.

[Beagle8U]

Why don’t the Japs do a deer head impact test? There are 50,000 ( not a misprint) car/deer accidents per year in the state of Michigan alone.

There are so many car/deer accidents that many go unreported when there is little damage, or older cars without full coverage Ins.

[LostPassword]

Have the “fact checkers” responded yet? Trump’s joke are their favorite chance to increment their “lie counter” - it’s so easy to get an unnamed source to say it’s untrue so the counter goes up. /sarc

[Celerity]

You know we’re going to find out in a few weeks that it’s true.

[Celerity]

“Why don’t the Japs do a deer head impact test? “

We do actually.

The NHIS runs collision tests and many, MANY foreign cars fail to meet the mark.