Ford releases Truckle belt buckle to celebrate F-150’s 50th anniversary
Ford celebrates the F-150’s 50th anniversary with a commemorative belt buckle.
- Japan is reportedly considering purchasing Ford F-150 trucks as part of its foreign policy towards the US
- The potential purchase follows President Trump’s call for Japan to open its market to more American cars.
It’s been nearly a decade since Ford Motor Company sold cars in Japan, and for good reason. Automakers had no chance of making a profit in Japan, which preferred its own small domestic cars to big, flashy American cars.
Indeed, after World War II, American auto companies have struggled to gain a significant foothold in Japan, but Japan has not imposed tariffs on imported cars since the late 1970s. According to the New York Times, General Motors’ car sales in Japan last year accounted for less than 1% of the country’s total car sales.
So it’s no surprise that the world is suddenly abuzz with the news that the Japanese government may be considering purchasing a Ford F-150 pickup vehicle. The move is in line with Japan’s pledge earlier this year to open its market to more American cars and is a nod to President Donald Trump, who has long promoted that policy.
Now in his second term, President Trump has imposed hefty tariffs on imported cars and auto parts. Customs duties are taxes paid by importers when goods cross borders. Trump is also pressuring countries to eliminate trade barriers, from taxes on U.S. beef and soybeans to car safety and domestic product requirements in Japan and Indonesia, according to the New York Times.
So the fact that Japan is eyeing America’s most iconic car, the F-150 (built at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri), is an indication of what’s at stake. Ford’s best-selling car may be an olive branch to economic and diplomatic synchronicity between Japan and the United States.
At the very least, experts say the gesture will please Trump, even if it won’t be enough to reset the trade imbalance between the two countries.
Eric Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, “This move will have more of a symbolic impact than an economic one. It’s a good press moment for smiling politicians, but F-150 sales won’t move the trade balance or Ford’s bottom line.” “Ford won’t get many sales, but it will get bragging rights if the F-150 is chosen by the Japanese government.”
“Thank you, Mr. President.”
The news first broke globally when a reporter told President Trump that Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was reportedly considering purchasing a fleet of F-150 trucks. President Trump was asked for his reaction as he boarded Air Force One on Saturday, October 25th.
Trump, who is reportedly a fan of the F-150, jumped at the idea, replying, “That’s great. It’s a great truck. She’s got good taste. That’s a hot truck.”
Shortly after, Ford CEO Jim Farley posted a video of Trump’s comments on social media to X (formerly Twitter) with the message, “Thank you Mr. President. We agree.”
Farley went on to write in the post: “We’re proud to build every F-Series pickup truck right here in America, and we’re grateful to our customers who have made the F-Series lineup the best-selling truck in America for 48 years.” and It has been America’s best-selling car since 1981. The F-Series is the second best-selling consumer product in the U.S. behind the Apple iPhone. ”
For evidence that this offer may be serious, look no further than the courtyard of Tokyo’s Akasaka Imperial Palace, where President Trump and Takaichi met for the first time on October 28th.
Mr. Takaichi, who wants to improve economic relations with the United States and build friendship with President Trump, placed a huge Ford F-150 truck in his courtyard alongside American-made Japanese cars. Ford withdrew from Japan in 2016.
Asked by the Detroit Free Press on Oct. 28 whether Ford was still taking orders for pickup trucks from Japan and how he felt about the Dearborn-based automaker’s sudden expansion onto the world stage, Ford spokesman Dave Tovar said only, “We appreciate President Trump’s support for American-made products. We look forward to bringing America’s best-selling trucks to Japanese workplaces and government customers.”
Chevrolet and Japanese gangsters
Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, took office last week and appears to understand the importance of a friendly relationship with Trump.
Last month, Japan’s previous administration agreed to invest $550 billion in the United States, prompting President Trump to reduce the 25% tariffs on all Japanese goods to 15%. But Japan wants favorable investments for Japanese vendors and contractors.
Still, Japanese officials are reportedly considering additional purchases of U.S. soybeans, liquefied natural gas and automobiles, according to the Associated Press. The Japanese government is considering importing Ford trucks for the Ministry of Transportation to use to inspect roads and infrastructure, but there are “concerns that the F-150 could cause congestion on Japan’s narrow roads,” the Associated Press reported.
Japan is an island nation smaller than California, and parking is limited. The city has narrow and winding streets. The steering wheel is also on the right side in all vehicles, contrary to the US.
Many Japanese car buyers prefer small cars, while those who can afford more expensive foreign cars buy mid-sized cars from Europe. The Associated Press reported that besides Japanese cars produced in the United States, the best-selling brand in the United States is the Stellantis Jeep.
The idea of Ford’s giant cowboy pickup rolling through the narrow, crowded streets of Tokyo is mind-boggling to most industry experts, which is why they view such purchases as mere gestures, albeit powerful ones.
President Trump has long complained that American cars are being kept out of Japan, home to the Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Subaru brands. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a September interview with CNBC that Japan would not buy American-branded cars because “Chevrolet” is popular with Japanese gangsters.
Resetting the trade imbalance
Malick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University, told the Detroit Free Press that the Japanese government’s intention to purchase a nominal number of Ford F-Series trucks “symbolizes Japan’s commitment to advancing U.S.-Japan trade relations toward President Trump’s goal of a golden age of American manufacturing.”
But, he added, “it does not effectively address the massive trade imbalance between Japan and the U.S. in the auto industry.”
Malick cited data showing that Japan imported less than $853 million in U.S.-made vehicles last year, while exporting nearly $50 billion to the United States. He also pointed out that the U.S.-Japan trade agreement imposes a 15% tariff on Japanese imports, which is higher than before Trump but lower than the 25% tariff on other parts of the auto industry.
“The overall economic investment announced as part of this trade framework is $550 billion, but the devil lurks in the detailed implementation,” Masters said. “In this situation, while acknowledging symbolic gestures, it is important to pay close attention to the actual consequences. The key test will be whether trade imbalances are reset, and that will require more than a few small gestures of goodwill.”
keep trump happy
Morningstar auto analyst David Whiston said that even if Japan were to start importing Ford pickup trucks in earnest, “the probability that Japanese consumers would buy them in large quantities is less than 1%.”
“The pickup trucks that Americans drive are too big and flashy for their tastes, and fuel economy will be an issue,” Whiston said. “In my opinion, the real opportunity would be to convince governments and vehicles to use it on construction sites. If Toyota wanted to start doing the same thing with the Tundra, that’s where the challenge would be, and I think they’re already doing it with the Hilux.”
The Hilux is a mid-size pickup truck similar to the Tacoma, and Toyota sells it in other global markets outside of the United States.
“We hope that the Japanese will not support buying more American cars than is necessary to satisfy President Trump,” Whiston said.
Jamie L. Lareau is a senior automotive writer at Gannett Co. and covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jalalean. To sign up for our automotive newsletter. become a subscriber.
