Masanori Katayama, Chairman, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.
April 3, 2025
The U.S. government’s additional 25% tariff on imported automobiles starts on April 3 and will also extend to imported automobile parts at a later date. Reciprocal tariff measures were also announced.
We have long believed that becoming an integral part of the U.S. auto industry—through local investment and job creation—is the most sustainable path forward for the auto industries of both countries. Based on that belief, our members have invested a cumulative total of over $66 billion in U.S. manufacturing as of 2024. We now operate 24 manufacturing plants, 43 R&D and design facilities, and 70 distribution centers across 27 states, generating over 110,000 direct U.S. jobs and further supporting more than 2.2 million U.S. jobs.
Japanese-brand automakers’ U.S. production far outweigh the number of vehicles exported from Japan. In fact, nearly one third of all vehicles produced in the U.S. are made by Japanese-brand automakers, and in 2024 we reached a milestone of 100 million vehicles produced since 1982. Vehicles exported from not only Japan but Canada and Mexico supplement our members’ U.S. local production by enabling diversified vehicle choices to our U.S. customers. In addition, vehicles manufactured in the U.S. are exported all over the world. This is an indication that Japanese-brand automakers are strengthening the U.S. manufacturing base and contributing to ensuring its global competitiveness.
Japan’s automobile industry remains a reliable and essential partner for the United States, and Japanese-brand automakers are exemplary and proud U.S. corporate citizens. We appreciate the U.S. government’s understanding toward our unwavering commitment to creating jobs and driving economic growth in the U.S.
We believe that maintaining a robust economic partnership between the United States and Japan—as a trusted partner and ally—is a true source of competitiveness for the U.S. and Japan’s automotive industries, benefiting both American consumers and the long-term growth of the U.S. economy.
Therefore, JAMA strongly urges the governments of both nations to engage in productive dialogue to forge a future-oriented path at the earliest opportunity, in order to maintain a business environment that continues to support the sustained development and success of both nations’ automotive industries.
While we continue to work closely with the suppliers to protect the millions of workers in Japan engaged in the automotive industry — a core sector of the Japanese economy, we respectfully request that the Japanese government continue its negotiations with the U.S. for exemptions from additional tariff measures, as well as supporting the supply chains. Furthermore, as we have consistently called for fundamental reform to simplify and ease the burden of automobile-related taxation, we kindly request comprehensive support measures to ensure that Japan’s automotive industry can maintain its foundation as a manufacturing base, through the revitalization of the domestic market.
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About Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JAMA): JAMA is the nonprofit trade association of the 14 manufacturers of passenger cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles in Japan. JAMA headquarters is in Tokyo.