Japan is a fascinating country, of those that it costs to understand from the point of view of a western one. Perhaps because we ourselves have turned our backs on Asian culture during our years of teaching or because, simply, they have historical and cultural peculiarities that we are complicated to assimilate.
What is certain is that the Japanese have entrenched the consumption of the local product. You have to keep in mind that Japanese society is deeply nationalistperhaps because it is surrounded by other countries where this feeling is also entrenched as China or the Koreas, which has caused continuous tensions in the area.
After the Second World WarThe United States financed the recovery of Japan, with the clear objective of putting a geopolitical cap to communism that threatened from China and Korea. A movement that could have diluted this nationalist feeling.
Little by little, the country was growing and in the 70s managed to diversify its industry and, at the same time, apply technical novelties that placed it at the world avant -garde in many sectors. Taking advantage of the weakness of the Yen against the dollar, they decided to put all their effort into export as much as possible of your products.
Those exports flooded the world product economy. One of the most significant were cars. In its technical innovations, the country prioritized the efficiency of its engines, key to flooding the market when the oil crisis. In front of American and European cars, The Japanese were cheaper and more efficient.
It was at that time that the industry shot completely and Japan decided to make a decision: he raised tariffs on foreign cars.
Pass and see
Something like that should have thought of Japanese politicians in 1978. With the aim of being more competitive in the face of foreign markets, the country raised all tariffs for those who wanted to import a car to their country. That is, any foreign brand could sell its cars in Japan without paying a single extra euro.
In Japan they should not be afraid of what was going to happen. Its industry was so powerful and cultural factors so decisive that foreign vehicles have not finished cauling in the market.
For proof, In 2016 the European Union lifted the 10% tariff with which he taxed Japanese cars. The 3% paid by Japanese manufacturers to produce in Europe but use Japanese pieces, but also raised Japanese. In return, the European Union found the open door to sell other products, such as cheese or wine.
So, The European Union He came from buying 575,000 cars worth 9,000 million euros while we were barely sold 279,000 vehicles for a value of 7.3 billion euros, they collected in The world. From Auqí we can get two readings.
The European Union, a specialist in the export of cars, had barely placed in the country Japanese 279,000 cars in a market in which Five million cars were almost sold that 2016. Of the 12 best -selling brands that year in the country, only one (Mercedes in tenth position) was foreign. And none of the 30 best -selling cars in the country was a foreigner.
The cars that the European Union managed to place in Japan were high -price vehicles. The average unit cost Japan more than 26,000 euros while those bought by the European Union cost less than 16,000 euros. That is, it costed Europe (and much) to compete by volume.
When Japan opened its doors to the world, it had to be aware of the country’s particularities. The hard emission and space standards have made the center cars of large cities disappear. From the 60s The Shako Shomeishhothe obligation to have a space to park the car to have the right to buy a car. In a country that is concentrated in cities, the limitation is decisive.
In addition, the Japanese client fully trusts his companies and has trouble opening to new technologies. The host of the hybrid car in front of any other technology (and the Resistance of Japanese firms themselves The electric car attests to it) is a good example of this.
To this we must add that, by price, the great generalists cannot compete since local vehicles are sold much cheaper taking advantage of a manufacturing within the country that is more competitive than beyond their borders. The value of YEN, lower than the dollar, the euro or the pound, allows them to obtain large amounts of money for the development and manufacture of a product that allows them to lower prices in their local market.
On the contrary, foreign companies that have to sell there face A cut market For emission regulations, the space regulations barrier and that have the obligation to change the production of the car since when driving on the left they need to position the controls on the opposite side. An added cost that puts another lock.
The result is that Europeans and Americans end up offering Japan cars that do not interest. In addition, in Japan the minivans, contained on the outside and of wide interior space are religion. A type of car that has disappeared in Europe while in Japan the Toyota feels, the Nissan Note and the Honda Freed occupied the squares of third, fourth and fifth best selling car In the country.
And you can keep going down in the list of the 50 best -selling cars in Japan In 2024. You will not find one that is a foreigner.
Photo | Toyota
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