Nissan joins Toyota and Honda to export American cars to Japan

DETROIT — Nissan engine plans to join other Japanese automakers Toyota engine And Honda engine in the export of U.S.-produced vehicles to Japan following changes to the country’s vehicle import rules as part of a trade deal last year with the Trump administration.

The company announced Tuesday that it will import the mid-size Nissan Murano, built in Smyrna, Tennessee, to Japan starting early next year. It is the first American-made Nissan sold in Japan since the 1990s, according to a Nissan spokeswoman.

“With the introduction of this model, Nissan aims to further strengthen its product lineup in Japan and meet the diverse needs of Japanese customers,” Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa said in a statement.

Nissan is the latest Japanese automaker to announce such plans after regulatory changes made it easier for automakers to import vehicles from the United States to Japan. These rules were put in place as part of a trade agreement that also included an easing of US tariffs adopted by President Donald Trump.

Under new Japanese regulations confirmed last month, U.S.-made vehicles are not required to meet the country’s automotive certification as long as they comply with U.S. standards.

Nissan has confirmed plans to import the Murano from the United States with the steering wheel on the left side of the vehicle, which is typical for the Americans but not the Japanese market.

Car manufacturers usually have to adapt their vehicles to meet safety and other regulations in different countries around the world. They can range from elements such as lighting and side mirrors to more complex elements such as the location of the steering wheel.

Nissan’s move follows Toyota’s announcement in December that it plans to begin exporting the Camry sedan, Highlander SUV and Tundra pickup truck from the United States to Japan starting this year.

Honda – Japan’s second-largest automaker behind Toyota – also announced plans earlier this month to export the U.S.-built Acura Integra Type S and Honda Passport TrailSport Elite SUVs to Japan starting in the second half of this year.

Although export plans of this type from the United States to Japan are likely to help trade relations between the countries, the number of vehicles to be imported may not be significant, experts said.

About 95 percent of the Japanese market is made up of locally produced vehicles, leaving less than a quarter of a million units for imports from around the world, and the majority of those come from Germany, according to Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions.

Vehicles sold under American brands, including models built in other countries represent only a small fraction of this group. They include sales of only about 8,700 Jeeps and 500 Cadillacs, according to Fiorani.

Many vehicles expected to be imported to Japan are also considered important or uncommon to Japanese consumers, according to Stephanie Brinley, senior automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility.

“These vehicles remain, with the exception of the Integra, relatively large for Japan. I think they will remain niche, low-volume products in this market,” she said. “But because they are a little different and a little bigger, they can position them as a special halo product in Japan.”