Projecting patterns onto road surface while reversing now permitted: Japanese government revises Safety Standards of Road Transportation Vehicles On June 4, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) announced that it had incorporated requirements for “vehicle reverse projection devices”, which project patterns onto the road surface behind the vehicle using its lights to signal the driver’s intention to reverse t...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/05

Toyo Tire to begin operations at new truck and bus tire plant as early as 2030 Toyo Tire Corporation (Toyo Tire) plans to begin operations at a new plant for truck and bus tires as early as 2030. With shipments to the U.S., its largest market, in mind, the company has narrowed down potential sites to four countries, including the U.S. and Japan. The candidate locations are the U.S., Japan, Serbia, and Malaysia, regions where the company already h...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/05

Unipres to reorganize production bases in Japan and overseas, halve production in China, consolidate Kanto-based car body business into Tochigi, in line with Nissan Unipres Corporation (Unipres) will conduct a fundamental review of its Japanese and overseas production systems. In China, it will consolidate its production bases in Guangzhou, for example, to reduce the number of production bases from seven to three. In Thailand and Brazil, the comp...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/04

Japan unveils new battery strategies, reflecting market changes to support supply chain growth, including materials and equipment The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan has revised its battery-related strategies. In the "Storage Battery and Power Industry Strategy" unveiled on June 2, it announced a delay in the timeframe for building manufacturing bases attributable to the decline in demand in the United States and the curre...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/04

Toyota to resume operations of all production lines in Japan from second-shift on June 3 Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced on June 3 that all production lines at its plants in Japan, which suspended operations due to approaching Typhoon Jangmi, will resume operations from the second shift (from evening to night) on the same day. The company suspended first-shift operations on June 3 at 13 of its domestic plants, excluding the Miyata Pla...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/04

igus completes new plant in Tochigi, aiming to double sales in Japan in five years igus k.k. (igus, Sumida Ward, Tokyo), the Japanese subsidiary of  the German-based igus SE & Co. KG, held a ceremony on June 2 to celebrate the completion of its Tochigi Sakura Plant in Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture, which the company has been preparing for. The new facility consolidates four assembly and warehouse bases, which had been located apart from each o...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/04

ion of goods produced with forced labor: Algeria; Angola; Argentina; Australia; the Bahamas; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Brazil; Cambodia; Chile; China, People’s Republic of; Colombia; Costa Rica; Dominican Republic; Egypt; El Salvador; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; India; Iraq; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Libya; Malaysia; Morocco; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Norway; Oman; Peru; the Philippines; Qatar; Russia; Saud...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/04

Japanese government announces newly revised “strategy for the storage battery and power source industries” On June 2, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced its new “strategy for the storage battery and power source industries” revised from the “strategy for the storage battery industry” created in 2022. Based on changes in the environment surrounding electric vehicles (EVs), the Ministry has revised the ti...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/03

Toyota unveils “GRMN Corolla” launching in Japan in 2027 On June 2, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) unveiled its GRMN Corolla, a high-end GR Corolla high-performance vehicle. Leveraging knowledge gained from endurance races and other competitions,, the company has adopted dedicated aerodynamic performance parts and a suspension, and improved engine torque. The price has not been disclosed. The GRMN Corolla has no rear seats, resulting in a ...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/03

Toyota’s thirteen plants in Japan to suspend first-shift operations on June 3 due to approaching typhoon Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced on June 2nd that it will suspend operations at 13 of its domestic plants, excluding the Miyata Plant (Miyawaka City, Fukuoka Prefecture) of Toyota Motor Kyushu, Inc., in response to approaching Typhoon Jangmi The suspension will affect the first shift (morning to evening) on June 3. The company exp...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/03

Suzuki to suspend first-shift plant operations in Japan on June 3 due to Typhoon Jangmi Suzuki Motor Corporation (Suzuki) announced on June 2 that it will suspend first-shift operations on June 3 at its all plants in Japan due to the impact of Typhoon Jangmi. Its automobile plants are Kosai Plant (Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture), Sagara Plant (Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture), and Iwata Plant (Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture). At the time o...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/03

ing production lines for current vehicle parts, which are produced in small quantities and have low operating rates, as well as service parts lines, to create surplus production capacity for future new orders. By the end of March 2027 (end of FY2026), Yorozu will implement it at its aging plants in Japan, then gradually roll it out globally. Existing equipment will be made more space-efficient through measures such as streamlining lines. In one e...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/02

May 2026 new vehicle sales in Japan up by 2.8% y/y for second consecutive month The total number of new vehicles sold in Japan in May was 332,997 units, a year-over-year (y/y) increase of 2.8% for the second consecutive month. Sales of Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), which increased by 12.6% y/y to 112,016 units, drove the overall increase. Although many of Toyota's models continue to face supply constraints, improvements in some models appear...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/02

BYD Auto Japan to release “Racco” mini EV on July 28 BYD Auto Japan Inc. (BYD Auto Japan, Kanagawa Ward, Yokohama City), a subsidiary of China's BYD and responsible for the passenger car business in Japan, announced on May 29 that it will launch its Racco mini electric vehicle (EV) on July 28. This was the first time the company announced the release date. The company also announced that it has raised its 2026 order target to 10,000 units fro...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/02

released from 2026. The company will maintain the development of new technologies such as battery and platform technologies planned to be introduced in the next-generation EV. Toyota will abandon the development of the Lexus LF-ZC, which it revealed as its next-generation EV concept model at the “Japan Mobility Show 2023”. Toyota stated at the time that the EV would adopt its new “gigacast” module structure consisting of three vehicle bod...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/01

April 2026 car exports from Japan drop for second month in row, exports to Middle East drop by 80% y/y The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JAMA) announced on May 29 that Japanese automakers’ April 2026 car export volume declined by 2.1% year-over-year (y/y) to 346,371 units for the second consecutive month. Exports to the Middle East dropped by 83.6% y/y to 6,527 units, which affected the total export volume. Exports to North ...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/01

Subaru Forester receives Five-Star Grand Prize in 2025 Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP) Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims' Aid (NASVA) have selected Subaru Corporation's Forester as the recipient of the “Five-Star Grand Prize,” awarded to the model with the highest score among those evaluated in the 2025 Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP). ...

News  Updated at: 2026/06/01

g customers in higher price ranges through brand-driven value proposition, strengthening profitability through expansion of value chain businesses, and pursuing thorough cost structure reforms to enhance competitiveness. Concentrating resources on key countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Japan, while cultivating high-potential regions including the Middle East and Latin America by leveraging brand strength. Strengthening cost competiti...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/29

ZF presents latest innovations at Automotive Engineering Exposition 2026 ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF) showcased its latest technologies at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2026 in Yokohama, Japan, under the theme of “Intelligence in Control, Innovation in Driving”. The company highlighted its system-level approach to future mobility and its "Local for Local" strategy for the Japanese market. ZF presented its Chassis 2.0 concept for softwar...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/29

rbing the impact of the 25% tariffs, but this situation is not sustainable and could soon be reflected in production costs and final vehicle prices.  The sector also faces stricter rules of origin under USMCA, requiring 75% regional content, which increases costs, while competitors such as the EU, Japan, and South Korea, which face lower tariffs.  The official stressed that eliminating these tariffs is key to maintaining competitiveness, as exp...

News  Updated at: 2026/05/29