Japanese automakers such as Mitsubishi Motors and Mazda Motor intend to develop car sales in Latin American countries instead of the US due to high tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, reports the Nikkei Asia portal.
Automakers are seeking to develop sales in those countries that have not imposed high tariffs. Thus, Mitsubishi Motors, whose cars are manufactured in Brazil by an external contractor, plans to export cars to neighboring countries such as Argentina. In Brazil itself, the company sold more cars in July 2025 than in any other month in the last 4 years.
Mazda Motor has reduced the volume of car deliveries from Mexico to the US due to high tariffs. The portal notes that the company has increased its car exports to other countries, such as Colombia. According to estimates from the automakers themselves, cited by the portal, Mitsubishi Motors will lose 32 billion yen (about 218 million USD) this year due to high US tariffs. Mazda Motor estimates financial losses at at least 233.3 billion yen (about 1.6 billion USD).
Japanese automakers intend to reorient car sales, despite the recent agreement with the US to reduce tariffs from 27.5% to 15%, as this is still much higher than the previously existing rate of 2.5%.