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.
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
Gotta be the Cyber truck. Frankly forget tariffs just pass local ordinances that ban vehicles too big for the roads. Something we should also do here to stop from ruining our infrastructure and losing safety
Because weight and displacement are taxed, I think the funniest car to import would be something like a Hellcat.
Japanese people usually go to Cali and buy a lot of us spec cars to import back to Japan, navigators and escalades, nissan armadas can be seen on a daily basis in tokyo
A Rezvani, maybe?
It would be cool. But it would be like a 60% scaled down model. I would buy a 150 here if they had a smaller less school bus like truck.
A Hummer EV would be ridiculous on the roads of Japan. Even without “Watts To Freedom” it has that WTF factor.
Honestly, it’s ridiculous here as well.
Let’s just be honest about all those Ford trucks in Japan.
They are just trying to be prepared for the next time Godzilla shows up…
Japan is not one giant city. There is countryside and rural areas where an F150 would work fine.
The automotive infrastructure is sized for typical cars in Japan. A full-size truck would be laughably out of place. Plus, rural Japan is quickly shedding population, so it is a market that is going away regardless.
You’ve never been to Japan either, have you?
You know what works fine in rural Japan?
Kei Trucks.
So, in addition to size, are the US-made exports to Japan RHD?
I do love the green accents on that Raptor!
I guess Ford could do that with their RHD vehicles.
If a car exists, there’s probably at least one person in Japan crazy enough to import one. There was a Dodge Nitro, an early ’00s Charger on dubs, and a lowrider Lincoln Town car just in the small suburb I lived in. Someone who worked at a Kindergarten I would often pass by drove a Navigator, and Hummers, Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, and Challengers weren’t uncommon to see.
By far the funniest though was the KITT replica I saw parked in Nagoya the second day after arriving there.
This reminds me of a magazine article from long ago where a Pinto was sent to Japan for testing. Ford expected it to be a big hit. The Japanese journalists said Ford had a lot of gall calling it a small car. Those F-150s will become parade floats.
Send over some Brightdrops. It would be hilarious if they caught on and they couldn’t keep up with demand.
Or at the least, they could develop a racing series to replace those dumb drifting old Dodge vans.
I think the funniest would probably be either an International CXT, or a Chevy Vega.
The funniest car to export to any country is The American Dream
“…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.”
OMG Dude – You seriously believe that happened in Tokyo?
Have you ever even been to Japan?
Do you know how movies are made?
That shot was done in LA – because special effects, Japanese laws, and do you have any idea how busy those streets are even in the middle of the night?
And F150’s are completely impractical in Japan – not only because they’re too large for traffic – but because there’s no place for most people to park them. Not to mention the ridiculously high fuel costs and road taxes for such unnecessarily oversized vehicles.
When I was stationed in Japan in the early 90s, I was the only one in my squadron brave enough to drive our LHD GMT400 diesel short stakebed from Yokota AFB to the JDF base north of us and back. It was not an easy task then – I cannot imagine how it would be in a longer, taller, higher F150.
Just because some Yakuza brought over a Raptor doesn’t mean its a reasonable choice for the other 99.8% of the country.
And just because the Felonious Pedophile says something is a good idea doesn’t mean it is so.
“And just because the Felonious Pedophile says something is a good idea doesn’t mean it is so.”
And typically, whatever Crooked Trump says, the opposite is closer to the truth.
Doesn’t Japan have something similar to the Parks Service? They could probably use a few.
Why? There are many better options. Any COE model with a dropside bed would be a far better option with a smaller footprint.
“some Yakuza brought over a Raptor…” had me laughing out loud.
TDS
Yes – He is.
That’s why he thinks cognitive tests are hard.
Funniest/stupidest vehicle to to send to Japan would be an F750 diesel converted into a pickup. With truck nuts.
Probably a Silverado 3500 dually especially because they have a terirble terning radius but I guess any dually. I don’t know why they don’t look to history it’s been tried. Maybe the Thailand built ranger would do something maybe if they built the Maverick for them it might do something. Byd is currently working to break in to the japanese market with an Bev kei car that’s probably a more realistic approach for volume. I guess a bolt and the outgoing leaf are kinda similar you could try that.
Speaking of funniest/stupidest cars to import to Japan, I realized that F150 Raptor pictured in Japan is probably thinking “I hate life, someone please steal me and send me to some third world country in Africa so I can be used as the engineers at Ford intended for me”
nah technicals are always based on Toyotas because when you’re fighting an insurgency you don’t have time for Ford recalls
I see Optimist Matt wrote today’s TMD.
Know thy self. Consumer, not producer.
If Japan is going to buy US pickups they should be AWD Maverick Hybrids.
There’s no reason why Toyota can’t make a better Maverick competitor other than that they haven’t.
That would have made a lot more sense.
Japan should buy 100 F150s and then give them as gifts to the military bases in Japan. This would make trump double happy.
But why?
Between the Kei pickups, and Hilux variants, what purpose does the Maverick have?
Pickups aren’t really seen as personal vehicles, but for work.
The Hilux Champ, for a pure truck perspective, would be neat on this side of the pond.
As a political gesture, they’re still buying an “American” Truck (Its built in Mexico though)
MPG.