Japan Buying A Bunch Of Ford F-150s Is Kinda Funny

My off-hand joke that the ongoing trade negotiations between Japan and the United States are going to result in people importing a bunch of Ford F-150 Raptors doesn’t seem as much of a joke this morning. While they may not be Raptors, there’s a non-zero chance that a fleet of F-150s is headed to Tokyo.

The Morning Dump is yet again about trade, because President Trump is doing a tour through Asia, trying to close a lot of deals that might bring investment to the United States. Much of this conversation centers on how much of that investment will be cash and where it might go, but at least a portion might go to America’s best-selling truck.

Ford isn’t going to be the only potential exporter, as Nissan looks to send some of its locally-produced vehicles to Japan as an offset for overcapacity. Fellow Japanese automaker Toyota is in much better shape, so its biggest issue seems to be keeping up with demand in the United States.

It’s not just Japanese automakers facing trade conundrums. Both Stellantis and GM are dealing with confusing trade woes, specifically with Canada.

The F-150 Will Be Big In Japan

F150 Raptor, a tad large for parking in Japan
byu/nnavenn injapanpics

As you can see in the photo above from Reddit, someone has already imported at least one F-150 Raptor into Japan. Respect.

I made the point a couple of weeks ago that it’s possible the splitting of the car market further into America/Canada and Everywhere Else was likely to continue because of tariffs. My point was that we already share a lot of platforms and cars, but one of our biggest distinguishing bodystyles (big trucks) isn’t necessarily a good fit for the rest of the globe.

There’s probably no future where Middle Eastern countries aren’t excited about importing Suburbans, but the rest of the world might not be into American cars at any scale (I mean, someone in Japan is definitely going to import an F-150 Raptor and it’s going to be awesome).

So, yeah, it turns out someone did import one, and it is, indeed, awesome.

This ability to sell cars in Japan has been a huge sticking point for the Trump White House, which does not like the imbalance in car production between the two countries. Partially because of the instability around trade (though also because of much deeper and more local issues), Japan has a new Prime Minister in the form of Abe acolyte Sanae Takaichi.

One of President Trump’s claims has been with the idea that Japanese regulators throw bowling balls at American cars to disqualify them from being sold there. This is not true, though there are some legitimate barriers to American companies selling cars there successfully.

What better way to resolve the issue ahead of a pivotal trade meeting than for Takaichi to, you know, just buy a bunch of F-150s? According to the Associated Press, that’s exactly what might happen:

One key to this strategy might lie in an idea floated by Japan’s government to buy a fleet of Ford F-150 trucks, a meaningful gesture that may also be impractical given the narrow streets in Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

It’s an early diplomatic test for Takaichi, the first woman to lead Japan. She took office only last week, and has a tenuous coalition backing her.

Trump instantly bought into the idea of Ford trucks as he flew to Asia aboard Air Force One.

“She has good taste,” Trump told reporters. “That’s a hot truck.”

No lies detected, it is a pretty hot truck. Additionally, it’s not like there are no big trucks anywhere in Japan. It’s entirely possible for someone to drive a regular F-150 in Tokyo. If films have taught me anything, it’s that if there’s abundant enough room in Shibuya to hella drift an RX-7, then you can normally drive a SuperCrew or whatever.

Nissan Might Send Some U.S.-Built Pathfinders And Muranos To Japan

While the F-150 purchase would just be a gesture, it’s possible that Japanese consumers could purchase both the U.S.-built Murano and Pathfinder.

It would be a curious journey for the Pathfinder in particular, which went from a Japanese-built truck for Japan and global markets, to an American-built soft crossover you can’t even buy in Japan (I think the Rogue is the biggest SUV you can buy there currently, but it’s called the X-Trail). Now it might be an America-built truck for Japan.

From Automotive News, this is a potential future for the vehicle, though not without issues:

A Nissan executive familiar with the move confirmed both vehicles are candidates.

But the company must first conduct feasibility studies to look at such issues as demand in Japan, the state of regulations surrounding safety certification and the yen-dollar exchange rate, the person said. The dollar is at historical highs, making reverse importing difficult.

Currency rules everything around me, CREAM.

Nissan has had a rough go in the United States, so it’s a convenient way to use that extra capacity, even if it’s mostly just to buy goodwill from the White House.

Toyota Hit A Global Sales Record Thanks To The United States

The country might be on track to become a place where we make more stuff again, but our power currently lies in our ability to buy stuff. That’s why everyone cares (that and because the globe’s manufacturing hub is China, which has its own troubles as a geopolitical partner).

Case in point, Toyota’s lukewarm sales basically everywhere were offset by big sales in the United States.

Per Bloomberg:

While Toyota and Lexus brand sales fell slightly in China and Japan in September, they rose more than 14% in the US thanks to strong demand for gas-electric hybrids, which accounted for 42% of total sales during the first half of the fiscal year. Total sales increased 5% during that time, a record for that six-month period.

Legacy brands have been losing ground in China, where domestic manufacturers led by BYD Co. have grown to dominate the world’s largest car market.

Toyota has regained a modicum of stability there, due in part to the popularity of its fully-electric bZ3X and its hybrid models. But a shrinking market back home poses a long-term challenge.

So long as America’s buying power remains strong, other countries will keep paying a lot of attention to our whims.

Canada To Take Away Tariff Breaks From GM And Stellantis

Both GM and Stellantis have planned to move assembly from Canada to the United States to get around tariffs. There are challenges with this, mostly because Canada has instituted reciprocal tariffs.

There was an offset for vehicles produced in Canada, but those don’t work as companies build more south of the border, as Bloomberg explains (via The Detroit News):

That exemption allowed auto companies to continue importing vehicles into Canada without paying tariffs, as long as they kept producing and investing in Canadian factories. But Stellantis will now see its quota of tariff-free vehicles slashed by 50% and GM will face a 24% reduction, according to a government official familiar with the matter, speaking on condition they not be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly about it.

It’s an escalation of tension between Carney’s government and the automakers, which have been altering their manufacturing plans in response to Trump’s tariffs and changes in demand for electric vehicles.

GM announced this week it’s permanently ending electric van production in Ingersoll, Ontario, casting doubt over the future of that plant, which doesn’t make any other model. Last week, Stellantis halted plans to make the Jeep Compass SUV at a factory near Toronto, putting 3,000 direct jobs at risk. The fate of that facility in Brampton is also unclear.

If we go to war with Canada, can we please just do it in the summer?

What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD

It’s “Tokyo Drift” by Teriyaki Boyz, which was my generation’s “Golden” by HUNTR/X.

The Big Question

What would be the funniest car to export to Japan?

Top graphic images: Ford, DepositPhotos.com