'Soothing Trump?' Japan Announces Plan to Re-import Toyota Vehicles Made in the U.S.

Financial News Tokyo – Correspondent Seo Hye-jin – Toyota Motor Corporation has reportedly informed authorities of its plan to import Toyota vehicles manufactured in the United States into Japan, coinciding with the upcoming visit of U.S. President Donald Trump from the 27th to the 29th.
According to The Yomiuri Shimbun, citing sources on the 26th, Toyota is in the final stages of coordination to proceed with the re-import of its U.S.-made vehicles.
Toyota exports about 500,000 vehicles annually from Japan to the United States. The Yomiuri Shimbun explained, "The purpose of re-importing U.S.-made Toyota vehicles to Japan is to ease concerns from the American side."
President Donald Trump has consistently raised concerns about the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. During U.S.-Japan tariff negotiations in April, Trump reportedly stated his intention to reduce the trade deficit with Japan to zero.
According to The Yomiuri Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun, President Trump met with Ryosei Akazawa, Japan’s Minister for Economic Revitalization, at the time and expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "The trade deficit with Japan amounts to $120 billion," "There isn’t a single American car on Japanese roads," and "The U.S. protects Japan, but Japan pays nothing in return."
Ultimately, in April, the Trump administration raised Japan’s reciprocal tariffs to 24% and automobile tariffs to 25%. Although subsequent U.S.-Japan negotiations reduced both to 15%, the rates remain high.
Following the U.S. tariff measures, Japan’s trade surplus with the United States dropped sharply.
According to preliminary trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance Japan (MOF) on the 22nd, Japan’s trade surplus with the United States in September was 23.3 billion yen (approximately 4.93 trillion won), marking a decline for the fifth consecutive month. Compared to the same month last year, this represents a sharp drop of 37.7%.
Exports to the United States in September also fell for the sixth consecutive month, down 13.3% from the previous month to 604.9 billion yen. Notably, automobile exports to the U.S. in September plunged by 24.2%.
Meanwhile, after taking office, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently appointed Ryosei Akazawa, who led previous U.S.-Japan tariff negotiations, as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. The previous Cabinet, led by Shigeru Ishiba, agreed in July to invest $550 billion in the United States in exchange for lowering reciprocal and automobile tariffs to 15%.
In the new Cabinet, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa will oversee U.S.-related investments, Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Minoru Jōnai will handle domestic economic measures, and Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu will coordinate the implementation of the U.S.-Japan tariff agreement.

sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter