[Text/Observer Network Chen Sijia] According to Nikkei Asia's report on April 20, Japan is considering discussing automobile safety standards in tariff negotiations because US President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the insufficient number of American cars imported into Japan. Japan believes that it can relax standards such as collision testing and use them as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations with the United States.

The report said that during his visit to the United States on the 16th, Trump complained to Akizawa about the poor sales of American cars in Japan and hoped to eliminate the trade deficit between the United States and Japan. During the ministerial talks held by Akizawa with US Treasury Secretary Beston, Commerce Secretary Lutnick, and Trade Representative Griller, they also discussed non-tariff barriers related to automobiles and agricultural products.

Japan is a participant in the United Nations 1958 Agreement, which sets unified vehicle certification and testing standards for contracting parties. The United States participated in the negotiation of the UN agreement but established its own standards and allowed automobile manufacturers to conduct their own safety tests.

Nikkei Asia pointed out that in principle, American cars imported into Japan must be certified separately by Japan, a process that may take several months. However, this regulation has drawn the dissatisfaction of the Trump administration, and the Office of the US Trade Representative identified different safety standards as "non-tariff barriers" in a report released at the end of March.

The Trump administration mainly focuses on differences in collision test standards. Japan requires multiple passenger safety standard requirements to be met in frontal and side collision tests, while the United States considers these requirements as "burdens," placing American automobile manufacturers at a disadvantage.

NHK reported on the 19th that data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association showed that in the fiscal year 2024, the sales of American cars (excluding Tesla) in Japan exceeded 10,000 units.

Nikkei Asia stated that Tesla does not disclose detailed sales data by region, but estimates can be made based on data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association. The association's data shows that in the first quarter of this year, the sales of "other brand" cars in Japan were 2,120 units, an increase of 56% year-on-year. This category mostly consists of Tesla cars. These data indicate that Tesla's momentum in the Japanese market has grown recently.

On March 11, US President Trump experienced a Tesla car Visual China

In previous trade negotiations, Japan has had precedents of using automobile safety standards as bargaining chips. In the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, Japan and the United States agreed that American cars imported into Japan could bypass multiple certification tests, including flame retardant tests. However, during Trump's first term, the United States withdrew from the TPP in 2017.

As a close ally of the United States, Japan was hit by a 24% "parity tariff" rate, far exceeding market expectations. Although Trump has announced a temporary suspension of the "parity tariff," products exported by Japan to the United States still face a uniform tariff of 10% and a 25% tariff on automobiles, severely impacting Japan's export-oriented economy, which relies heavily on automobiles.

On April 16 local time, Japan's chief trade negotiator and Minister of Economic Regeneration Akizawa visited Washington to negotiate tariffs with US officials. However, just before the meeting began, Trump suddenly announced that he would personally attend the meeting, directly intervening in the US-Japan trade negotiations.

NHK reported that Akizawa first met with Trump at the White House and then consulted with Beston, Lutnick, and Griller. After the meeting, Trump posted on social media: "It was an honor to meet with the Japanese trade delegation just now, and significant progress has been made!"

Akizawa said that he conveyed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's thoughts to Trump, hoping to reach a comprehensive agreement as soon as possible to strengthen the economic relationship between Japan and the United States and achieve a win-win result. He revealed that Trump clearly stated during the meeting that negotiations with Japan are a "priority" for the United States.

In the ministerial talks, Akizawa expressed Japan's regret over the US tariffs on automobiles, steel tariffs, and so-called "parity tariffs," given their impact on Japanese investment and American employment. He strongly urged the US side to reconsider these measures. Officials from both countries agreed to hold the next round of negotiations before the end of this month and continue working-level negotiations.

Regarding the issue of American car imports into Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told NHK in an interview on the 20th that, taking into account the differences in safety standards and traffic conditions between the two countries, Japan will "properly handle related issues" to avoid being accused of unfairness. He clearly stated that the Japanese government is studying countermeasures.

Abe said that Japan hopes to become a model for negotiations between the United States and other countries, achieving results beneficial to both Japan and the United States in trade negotiations. He reiterated that he will visit the United States for face-to-face negotiations with Trump at an "appropriate time."

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Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495302163741016614/

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