【Wen / Observers Network, Pan Yuchen, Editor / Gao Xin】According to a report by the Nikkei, the sales of Japanese cars imported back from overseas in 2025 will reach the highest level in 30 years. Data released by the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA) shows that the sales of reverse-imported vehicles in Japan for January to November 2025 reached 102,300 units, an increase of 19% year-on-year. The business model of Japanese automakers, which mainly use Japan as their production base and export to the world, is changing.

In Japan, Japanese cars imported from overseas are called "reverse imports." In the early 1990s, due to intensified Sino-Japanese automotive trade friction, under the context of the yen appreciating to about 90 yen per US dollar, the Japanese government had promoted policies to expand imports to ease trade friction, and reverse-imported cars from the United States increased at one point; in 1995, the sales of reverse-imported cars reached a historical peak of 107,100 units.

According to a report by the Nikkei, now, despite the yen depreciation (exchange rate exceeding 150 yen per US dollar) and increased import costs, the number of reverse-imported cars in Japan still tends to break the historical record. Even with the depreciation of the yen, reverse imports are being pushed forward, and the reason is the existence of the third-largest car market in the world—India.

Specifically, Honda has been importing the small SUV "WR-V" produced in India since 2024, and the number of reverse-imported Japanese units in the first 11 months of this year reached 35,000 units; Honda also plans to produce the global strategic electric vehicle "Honda 0 α" in India and then reverse-import it into Japan.

Suzuki started importing SUVs such as the "Fronx" produced in India from October 2024, and the number of reverse-imported units reached 39,000, nine times that of the same period in 2023. Suzuki has a production capacity of 1 million units in Japan, and 2.6 million units in India. Suzuki's president, Suzuki Shunhiko, said that the technical level in India is improving, and that cars produced in India are not much different in quality from those produced in Japan.

The fourth-generation Dzire compact sedan launched by Maruti Suzuki in India, Visual China

Honda and Suzuki have significantly increased imports from India, mainly because labor costs in India are lower. Even under the situation of yen depreciation, the cost is more advantageous than producing in Japan. A survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) shows that the monthly salary of ordinary workers in Japanese companies' factories in New Delhi, India is 37,583 rupees (approximately 2,958 RMB); while in Tokyo it is 295,800 yen (approximately 13,500 RMB). Therefore, it can be seen that labor costs in India are only about 1/5 of those in Japan.

In 2024, India's car sales reached 5.22 million units, surpassing Japan's 4.42 million units, becoming the third-largest car market after China and the United States. The Nikkei estimates that considering India's population of over 1.4 billion, future car sales are expected to further increase, while Japan's car sales are showing a decreasing trend due to factors such as population decline, and it is expected that this year will mark the sixth consecutive year of sales falling below 5 million units.

Additionally, the number of reverse-imported cars from the United States in the Japanese market is likely to increase in the future. After completing tariff negotiations with the United States, Japan plans to simplify the certification process for US automobiles. The Trump administration in the United States announced in October this year that it plans to reverse-import Toyota cars produced in the US to Japan.

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Original: toutiao.com/article/7581737691537015331/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.