- Japan plans a new certification pathway for US-built vehicles.
- It will admit US-certified cars without extra testing in Japan.
- Toyota has said it wants to import three US models into Japan.
Last fall, President Trump announced Japan was working to allow American-made vehicles into the country and to accept US safety certifications without additional testing. At the time, the White House said “Japan will now recognize U.S. automotive standards and lift longstanding restrictions on U.S. car and truck imports, creating billions of dollars in increased market access for U.S. automakers.
Things finally appear to be taking shape as Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has announced the establishment of a certification system for American-made vehicles. Designed to fulfill the terms of the Japan-US agreement, the measure says “passenger vehicles manufactured in the U.S. and conforming to U.S. standards will be deemed to conform to safety standards.”
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The announcement doesn’t go into detail, but specifically says “Passenger cars manufactured in the US and certified for safety in the US will be accepted for sale in Japan without additional testing.” This, in theory, should be a win for automakers, employees, and Japan, which is getting tariff relief as part of the agreement.
Speaking of which, Toyota has previously announced its intention to bring three American-made vehicles to Japan. This includes the Camry, Highlander, and Tundra. While the automaker described the full-size pickup as the “very embodiment of American culture,” the company believes Japanese consumers will embrace its “unique appeal.”
Toyota isn’t the only Japanese automaker considering importing American-made vehicles as Nikkei reports Honda is considering doing the same with the Pilot and Ridgeline. Nissan, on the other hand, could send over the Murano and Pathfinder.
