Japan is considering relaxing its vehicle certification system to allow more U.S.-made cars, following attention on American pickup trucks at October's Japan-U.S. summit. As part of summer tariff agreements, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry is reviewing U.N.-based standards. Importers express hope for lower prices while emphasizing safety concerns.
The October Japan-U.S. summit took place at the State Guest House in Tokyo's Moto-Akasaka district, where American pickup trucks parked in the garden drew attention. U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to boost sales of these vehicles in Japan.
Under tariff measures agreed in the summer, procedures for importing and selling U.S. vehicles in Japan have been simplified. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry is considering relaxing the automobile certification system based on U.N. standards. These standards cover items like brakes and noise for passenger cars and are adopted by about 60 countries and regions, including Japan. The U.S., however, has not adopted them, requiring additional testing for vehicles exported to Japan.
"If additional testing required to sell U.S. cars in Japan is eliminated, prices could be significantly reduced. Is that really possible?" said Shuhei Murakami, president of Skyauto Inc., which imports and sells U.S. cars in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture.
Until the mid-1990s, over 100,000 U.S. cars were imported to Japan annually, but popularity waned due to their large bodies and poor fuel efficiency. In 2024, imports totaled about 16,000 units, while Japanese car exports to the U.S. reached approximately 1.37 million.
Trump has labeled the system a "non-tariff barrier," arguing it is unfair that Japan exports millions of vehicles to the U.S. while not accepting American ones. Following the July Japan-U.S. tariff agreement, a September executive order signed by Trump noted that Japan is working to accept U.S.-manufactured and safety-certified passenger vehicles without additional testing.
Former Transport Minister Hiromasa Nakano highlighted the importance of safety in Japan's traffic environment. The ministry is exploring a relaxed certification system limited to U.S.-made cars meeting Japan's safety standards.
"U.S. cars are specialized for U.S. consumers, and the reality is that they are not selling well in other countries, not just in Japan," said motor journalist Goro Okazaki. "In the end, there will likely not be a sudden increase in imports of U.S. cars to Japan so will not have a major impact on safety."