TOKYO — Perhaps the most famous truck in Japan are the small white transport vehicles used by farmers to transport equipment on the narrow roads that connect their rice fields.
But the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaishi She was considering another truck and is looking forward to building a relationship with the visit US President Donald Trump.
Takaishi, who wants to improve economic relations with Washington and foster a strong relationship with Trump, has listed American-made cars, including an enormous collection of cars. American Ford F-150 A truck in the courtyard of Akasaka Palace where the leaders held their first talks on Tuesday.
Trump, a fan of the Ford F-150, responded positively to the possibility that the Japanese government might consider purchasing dozens of pickup trucks.
Trump complained that there are hardly any American cars in Japan and that the country’s vehicle safety standards are too strict.
But the lack of large American cars may be related to more practical reasons, including local tastes, road conditions and size, and marketing.
Japan is smaller than California, there is limited parking and many of the streets here are very narrow.
Consumers seem to prefer compact or small cars that can easily navigate narrow, crowded roads. Those who can afford more expensive foreign cars tend to buy compact or mid-sized cars from Europe, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, and Audi.
With the exception of Japanese cars produced in the United States such as Honda, Mazda and Nissan, the best-selling American brand is Jeep, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association.
Many American cars steer on the left side, the opposite of standard right-side steering in Japan, where highway tolls are on the right side, for example. Low mileage and a lack of maintenance and service networks also help explain why American brands, with the exception of Jeep, are struggling in Japan.
Last April, former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told parliament: “Why do American cars not sell well in Japan? Because they lack understanding of road conditions and housing conditions, as well as energy conservation.”
When Trump heard about the Ford truck idea while traveling to Asia on Air Force One, he reacted enthusiastically.
“She has good taste,” Trump told reporters about Takaishi. “This is a hot truck.”
The primary context is Takaishi’s need to know how to handle a complex business relationship Trump was shaken up earlier this year With definitions.
Trump wants allies to buy more American goods as well as make financial commitments to build factories and energy infrastructure in the United States.
Previous Japanese administration Agreed in September To invest $550 billion in the United States, which prompted Trump to do so Reduce threatened tariffs by 25% On Japanese goods up to 15%. But Japan wants the investments to benefit Japanese vendors and contractors.
In Japan, sport utility vehicles have become popular among people with families and for outdoor activities such as camping, but buyers often turn to smaller, sleeker models.