Nissan joins Toyota and Honda in its plans to export American cars to Japan

DETROIT — Nissan Motor It plans to join its colleagues in the Japanese auto industry toyota motor and Honda Motor in exporting vehicles produced in the United States to Japan following changes in the country’s vehicle import rules reached through a trade deal last year by the Trump administration.

The company said Tuesday that it will import the mid-size Nissan Murano, made 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.

“By introducing this model, Nissan aims to 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 changes in regulations mean automakers can more easily import cars from the United States to Japan. These rules were put in place as part of a trade deal that also included relief from US tariffs approved by President Donald Trump.

Under new Japanese regulations confirmed last month, US-made vehicles do not have to meet the country’s vehicle certification as long as they comply with US standards.

Nissan confirmed its plans to import the Murano from the United States with the steering wheel located on the left side of the car, which is usual for Americans but not in the Japanese market.

Automakers typically have to design vehicles to meet safety requirements and other regulations of different countries around the world. They can range from things like lighting and side mirrors to more complex parts like the location of the steering wheel.

Nissan’s decision comes after Toyota announced its plans in December to begin exporting the Camry sedan, Highlander SUV and Tundra truck from the United States to Japan starting this year.

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

While plans for such exports from the United States to Japan are likely to help trade relations between the two countries, the number of vehicles to be imported may not be meaningful, experts said.

About 95% of the Japanese market consists of domestically produced vehicles, leaving less than a quarter-million units for imports from around the world, mostly from Germany, according to Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.

Cars sold under U.S. brands, including models manufactured in other countries, are a small part of this group, including approximately 8,700 Jeeps and 500 Cadillacs, according to Fiorani.

Many of the vehicles planned for import to Japan are also too big or too mainstream for Japanese consumers, according to Stephanie Brinley, principal auto analyst at S&P Global Mobility.

“These vehicles – with the exception of the Integra – are still relatively large for Japan. I think they will remain niche, low-volume products within that market,” she said. “But because it is a little different and a little bigger, it can be positioned as a special halo product in Japan.”