Trump's Push for Japanese Kei Cars in America

A momentous change might be coming to American roads following a visit to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump. America's ubiquitous, muscular SUVs may soon be usurped by a four-seater, 660 cc car that is hugely popular in Japan — the "kei car". President Trump seems to have developed a particular fondness for this miniature automobile. He wants to pave the way for kei cars to be manufactured in the USA. He wrote on his Truth Social website: "I have just approved tiny cars to be built in America. Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries." He added that the cars were "inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient, and quite simply, amazing".

In Japan, kei cars account for around a third of all new vehicle sales. They are ideally suited to the narrow streets of Japan's bustling, densely populated cities. However, legislation needs to be passed to make the cars road-legal in the USA. The website Quartz reported that: "Most kei cars don't clear federal rules, and there are lingering concerns that the vehicles are too small and slow to be driven safely…on highways."

Trump has directed his Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, to remove all barriers to their production. Mr Duffy said: "If Toyota or any other company wants to make smaller, more affordable and fuel-efficient cars, we have cleared the deck so they can…sell them in America."