TOKYO: Japan will begin importing Ford F-150 pickup trucks under a revised trade agreement with the US.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the deal, stating Japan will accept US vehicle safety standards.
The new arrangement includes a 15% reciprocal tariff, down from a previously threatened 25%.
Trump praised the deal in a CNBC interview, calling the F-150 “very beautiful” and predicting strong sales.
Japanese automakers sell millions of cars in the US annually, but American vehicles remain rare in Japan.
Ford exited the Japanese market nearly a decade ago due to low demand for large vehicles.
The F-150’s width of 2.4 metres makes it impractical for many Japanese roads.
Disagreements persist over when Japan’s 27.5% auto tariffs will drop to 15%.
A recent US executive order suggested the 15% cap applies only to the EU, not Japan.
Japan’s tariffs envoy Ryosei Akazawa is in Washington to clarify the agreement’s details.
Akazawa aims to ensure the US implements the tariff changes by Thursday as planned.
Trump also claimed Japan would invest $550 billion in the US, retaining 90% of profits.
Japanese officials clarified the investment would mostly involve loans and guarantees. – AFP
