Akio Toyoda, CEO of the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, went full Make America Great Again at a NASCAR event in Japan, donning a red hat and a Trump-Vance shirt.
Toyoda donned the pro-Trump garb on Sunday, just two days ahead of his company unveiling a $912 million investment in U.S. manufacturing on Tuesday, per Automotive News:
With a toothy grin, “Make America Great Again” hat and Trump-Vance T-shirt, Akio Toyoda hosted a star-spangled, barbecued, all-American, NASCAR spectacle at Fuji Speedway in a new charm offensive aimed not only at motorsports fans and diplomats, but possibly also U.S. tariffs.
Against the backdrop of global trade tensions, the Toyota Motor Corp. chairman billed the extravaganza, held in conjunction with an endurance race at the Toyota-owned circuit, as an international celebration of car culture and proof of Japan’s love for Motown metal.
U.S. Ambassador George Glass accompanied the charismatic Toyota front man at the Nov. 16 event, which showcased a demonstration run of six NASCAR machines specially shipped over for the occasion, with a clutch of star drivers to wow the American flag-waving crowd.
Prior to the vent, Toyoda said that he understands that countries use tariffs to protect certain industries but cautioned business leaders to remember consumers.
“I’m not here to argue whether tariffs are good or bad. Every national leader wants to protect their own auto industry,” Toyoda said. “We are exploring ways to make tariffs a winner for everyone. The people we want most to be winners are our customers.”
As noted by the New York Post, Japan is “facing a roughly 15% baseline tariff on auto imports, slashed down from 27.5% as part of a trade agreement in September.”
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