Isuzu Motors is evaluating relocating small truck production from Japan to the United States by 2028, as the automaker grapples with President Donald Trump’s 25% import tariffs that took effect in April.
The Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer currently exports roughly 20,000 small trucks annually from its Fujisawa plant in Kanagawa Prefecture to the US market, where it sells 30,000-40,000 units total. The remainder are produced through local contractors, highlighting the company’s existing reliance on American manufacturing partners.
President Minami Shinsuke, 65, indicated the move would help capture growing demand from e-commerce delivery services while mitigating tariff costs. However, the timeline suggests Isuzu may endure nearly three years of punitive duties before any relief materializes.
The company is already investing ¥43 billion ($280 million) in a South Carolina facility scheduled to begin operations in 2027 for medium-duty and electric trucks. Adding small truck production there represents a logical extension, though it raises questions about redundant capacity across multiple US locations.
Isuzu plans to maintain Fujisawa production levels by pursuing other export markets, though the company hasn’t specified which regions could absorb displaced output. This strategy assumes global demand can compensate for reduced American exports—a proposition that may prove optimistic given intensifying trade tensions worldwide.
The shift underscores how quickly Trump’s trade policies are reshaping automotive supply chains, forcing manufacturers to reconsider decades of cross-border production strategies.
