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CARS

Bridgestone CEO Shuichi Ishibashi says truck tire demand for new vehicles in the U.S. has fallen sharply since early August.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 14, 2025
Bridgestone CEO sees U.S. slowdown, cyberattack and tariffs hurting business
The challenges in North America are testing Bridgestone's ability to defend margins and sustain growth, a familiar refrain for Japan’s export-driven manufacturers.
A Ford F-150 pickup truck on the assembly line at a factory in Dearborn, Michigan. The Japanese government might be considering the purchase of some of the pickup trucks to meet its obligations as part of a trade deal with the United States.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 10, 2025
Ford F-150 might be imported by the Japanese government: report
The pickup trucks would be used by local transport ministry offices for construction and road patrols.
Toyota sold 10.8 million cars in 2024, a slight drop from the previous year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 8, 2025
Toyota arm that keeps 150 million cars on road also top-earning
Toyota’s value chain arm is set to exceed operating profit from new car sales during the fiscal year ending March 2026 after reaching a record ¥2 trillion the previous year.
Isuzu Chairman Masanori Katayama (third from left) and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (center) attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the firm's vehicle plant in South Carolina on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 2, 2025
Isuzu to build first independent U.S. plant
The Japanese commercial vehicle maker aims to ease the impact of high U.S. tariffs by expanding local production.
The ruling and opposition parties hold talks at the parliament building on Sept. 5 over a proposal to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge.
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Oct 1, 2025
Ruling-opposition talks on gasoline tax cut stall ahead of LDP election
The slowdown is widely attributed to the political lull caused by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election slated for Saturday.
Toyota aims to install 500 fast chargers for electric vehicles at its dealerships in Japan by the end of March 2026.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 30, 2025
Toyota steps up high-speed EV charger installations at dealerships
The carmaker aims to have 500 fast chargers installed at dealerships in Japan by the end of March 2026.
A BYD Dolphin during a test drive in Yokohama. Due to poor sales in Japan, BYD is offering discounts of up to ¥1 million.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 29, 2025
BYD brings price war to Japan in bid to win over customers
BYD is now turning to discounts — a practice that’s put it front and center of an industry crackdown in China — to try and boost sales.
While the World Endurance Championship is seeing increased popularity overseas, the same level of success has eluded organizers in Japan.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Sep 28, 2025
At Fuji Speedway, WEC rides motorsports momentum to 100th race
The milestone race comes amid a global motorsports boom fueled by Netflix’s “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” series and Brad Pitt’s “F1” Hollywood film.
Honda announced Wednesday that it has ended production of the Acura ZDX luxury electric vehicle developed in collaboration with General Motors.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 25, 2025
Honda pulls plug on Acura ZDX luxury EV
The automaker said the decision reflected a slowdown in EV demand and other market changes.
Nissan’s ProPilot navigates traffic while under human supervision during a test drive in Tokyo last week.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 22, 2025
Nissan revamps ProPilot to rival Tesla's driver-assist technology
The next version will be able to take on complex city streets using fewer cameras and monitors thanks to artificial intelligence software.
Japan's exports slipped 0.1% in August from a year earlier, led by a 13.8% drop in the value of shipments to the U.S., with cars the main drag.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 17, 2025
Japan’s exports fall for fourth month as U.S. shipments tumble
Exports slipped 0.1% in August from a year earlier, led by cars and steel, the Finance Ministry reported Wednesday.
The Audi E5 Sportback, the first model of Audi's series of electric vehicles jointly developed with SAIC, is showcased at a Volkswagen event in Shanghai in April.
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 14, 2025
How Chinese EV tech is reshaping global auto design
Licensing deals with major automakers make up relatively small but growing revenue streams for Chinese EV-makers and offer a new quid-pro-quo.
Attendees visit the BYD stand at an auto show in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 12, 2025
'Why not?' Europeans warming up to Chinese electric cars
At the IAA auto fair in Munich this week, Chinese EV makers were out in force, highlighting the determination of the fast-growing car giants to make inroads into Europe.
Mazda cars at the company's main plant in Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture, in July
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Sep 6, 2025
U.S. tariffs still spell big pain for Japan's small automakers
Smaller automakers Mitsubishi Motors, Mazda and Subaru are less able to absorb the tariff shock than bigger rivals like Toyota and Honda.
Elon Musk attends the opening ceremony of the new Tesla Gigafactory in Gruenheide, Germany, in March 2022.
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2025
Tesla offers unprecedented $1 trillion pay package to Musk
The long-awaited proposal, designed to incentivize Musk to lead Tesla for years to come, sets a series of ambitious benchmarks he must meet to earn the full payout.
The new Prelude model released by Honda, on Thursday in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 5, 2025
Honda to revive Prelude sports car after 24 years
The major Japanese automaker targets annual domestic sales of 3,500 units for the new Prelude, a hybrid coupe.
Nissan's popular "<i>kei</i> car" Roox is seen displayed outside the company's global headquarters in Yokohama in November.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 22, 2025
Nissan updates popular 'kei car' as it revamps aging lineup
The fourth-generation Roox, better mileage, more safety features and built-in connectivity, will go on sale by the end of the year for ¥1.6 million.
Exports fell 2.6% in value in July from a year earlier, posting the biggest downturn since February 2021, led by cars, auto parts and steel.
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 20, 2025
Japan’s exports tumble most in four years as U.S. tariff pain intensifies
Exports fell 2.6% in value from a year earlier, sliding more than the median forecast of a 2.1% decline, the Finance Ministry has reported.
Nissan workers walk outside its Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Nissan plans to shut the plant by the end of fiscal 2027.
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Aug 18, 2025
A factory town in crisis shows Japan’s fading manufacturing era
Nissan directly employs almost 10% of Oppama’s 29,700 residents, but its factory is set to shut down by 2028.
The Maruti Suzuki India e-Vitara electric vehicle unveiled during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi in January
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 13, 2025
Suzuki’s India unit doubles down on SUVs as small cars slide
The nation’s top carmaker is scrambling to counter slowing demand for its bread-and-butter small cars.

Longform

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