Prime Highlights
- Nissan Motor will export its U.S.-made Murano SUV to Japan, marking a return of American-built Nissan vehicles to its home market after decades.
- The move reflects a wider shift as Japanese automakers expand globally and take advantage of easier trade rules.
Key Facts
- New regulations allow U.S.-built vehicles to be imported into Japan without meeting separate local certification if they follow American standards.
- Japan’s auto market is still largely domestic, with about 95% of vehicles produced locally, limiting the overall impact of imports.
Background:
Nissan Motor will start exporting its U.S.-made Murano SUV to Japan early next year. This will be the first time since the 1990s that the company sells an American-built vehicle in its home market, showing a change in its global strategy. The move follows recent regulatory changes in Japan that make it easier to import vehicles produced in the United States.
The Murano, manufactured in Smyrna, Tennessee, will be introduced with a left-hand steering configuration, a feature uncommon in Japan but standard in the U.S. Nissan said the decision aims to strengthen its product lineup and offer more variety to domestic customers.
The announcement places Nissan alongside Toyota Motor and Honda Motor, both of which have already revealed plans to export U.S.-built models to Japan. These developments come after a trade agreement eased import regulations, allowing vehicles that meet U.S. standards to bypass certain Japanese certification requirements.
Toyota earlier confirmed it would ship models such as the Camry, Highlander, and Tundra from the U.S. to Japan, while Honda plans to introduce the Acura Integra Type S and Passport TrailSport SUV later this year. Industry experts say Japanese automakers are moving together to make use of easier trade rules and expand business between countries.
However, they also say the overall impact on sales may be small. About 95% of cars sold in Japan are made locally, and imported vehicles make up only a small share of the market, with many coming from European brands.
Experts add that U.S.-built vehicles are usually bigger than what most Japanese buyers prefer, which may limit their demand. Companies can still sell these vehicles as premium or niche options for a smaller group of buyers.
Even with these challenges, Nissan’s move shows that automakers are changing their plans to match new trade rules and customer demand.
