Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

U.S. Lobbying Heats Up: Japanese and Chinese Automakers Invest Millions Amid Policy Shifts

Daniel Kim Views  

Yonhap News
Yonhap News

According to the Nikkei on Wednesday, major Japanese automakers are ramping up their lobbying efforts in the United States. This move comes in response to protectionist policies implemented during the Trump administration and the Biden administration’s electric vehicle (EV) incentives.

Data from the U.S. watchdog group Open Secrets reveals that Toyota, Honda, and Nissan collectively increased their lobbying expenditures by an average of 25% during the Trump administration (2017-2020) compared to Obama’s’ second term (2013-2016).

This surge far outpaces the 8% average increase across all businesses and organizations.

Toyota, in particular, saw its average annual lobbying costs rise to $6.46 million between 2017 and 2020, a 32% increase from the previous four-year period. The automaker’s lobbying expenses peaked in 2019 at $7.11 million, the highest in two decades.

Honda and Nissan also increased their lobbying budgets by 19% and 18%, respectively. This trend has continued under the Biden administration, with 2021-2023 lobbying costs averaging 16% higher than during Obama’s’ second term. In 2023, Toyota increased its spending by 2% year-over-year, while Honda’s’ expenses rose by 16%. These aggressive lobbying efforts are primarily driven by Trump’s’ protectionist policies and Biden’s’ push for EV adoption.

With tariffs and environmental vehicle subsidies directly affecting pricing and sales, Japanese automakers emphasize their U.S. job creation and vehicle efficiency to influence policymakers.

Yonhap News
Yonhap News

Chinese automakers are also joining the lobbying arena. BYD, which first engaged in U.S. lobbying in 2014, plans to invest a record $1.04 million in 2023, a 65% increase from the previous year.

This push is in response to heightened scrutiny of Chinese firms amid U.S.-China tensions. As Trump campaigns for re-election, Japanese automakers are preparing for potentially more aggressive lobbying efforts.

Trump’s campaign promises, including 10-20% tariffs on all imports and a 60% tariff on Chinese goods, are forcing automakers to prepare for various scenarios.

Recently, Honda’s Executive Vice President, Shinji Aoyama, acknowledged the substantial short-term impact of tariffs and expressed the company’s intention to respond through continued lobbying efforts.

Similarly, Nissan’s President Makoto Uchida has stressed the company’s commitment to strengthening its lobbying activities.

Daniel Kim
content@viewusglobal.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[BUSINESS] Latest Stories

  • Judge in Shanghai Calls Cryptos 'Commodities,' But Cautions Against Speculation and Crime
  • U.S. Faces $3.4 Billion Economic Loss as China Tightens Control Over Essential Tech Minerals
  • Walmart’s Sales Soar to $169.59 Billion – What’s Driving Their Record Growth?
  • Ford Announces 4,000 Job Cuts in Europe Amid Struggles with Electric Vehicle Transition
  • New Crypto Mining Ban Hits Russia: Full Restrictions for Key Areas Due to Power Shortages
  • Huawei’s Struggle to Keep Up: U.S. Sanctions Threaten China’s Semiconductor Ambitions

Weekly Best Articles

  • Judge in Shanghai Calls Cryptos ‘Commodities,’ But Cautions Against Speculation and Crime
  • President Yoon’s Interpreter Faces Off with Brazilian Security in Tense G20 Moment
  • North Korean Soldiers Accused of Gang-Raping Russian Student During Training
  • North Korea’s Hidden Nuclear Plans Revealed – And They’re More Dangerous Than We Thought
  • North Korean Leader’s Nuclear Threats Intensify as Troops Engage in Russia-Ukraine Conflict
  • Ukraine Just Got Its Deadliest Weapon—Is This the Most Dangerous Move Yet?
  • NIS Hints at Kim Jong Un’s Visit to Russia—Could Major Weapons Transfers Be Next?
  • U.S. Faces $3.4 Billion Economic Loss as China Tightens Control Over Essential Tech Minerals
  • Putin Sends 70+ Animals to North Korea’s Zoo—Including Female Lions
  • Walmart’s Sales Soar to $169.59 Billion – What’s Driving Their Record Growth?
  • Ford Announces 4,000 Job Cuts in Europe Amid Struggles with Electric Vehicle Transition
  • Historic Agreement Signed in Pyongyang to Boost Trade and Science with Russia

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Why Dehydration Could Be More Dangerous in Winter Than You Think – Here's How to Stay Hydrated

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    THIS $279,000 Cruise Offers a 4-Year Getaway From Trump’s America

    DEBATE 

  • 3
    US Needs News ‘Manhattan Project’ to Stay Ahead of China in AI, Report Says

    DEBATE 

  • 4
    Romance Scam Victim Lost $125K to Fake U.S. Military ‘Boyfriend’ in Major Seoul Bust

    ASIA 

  • 5
    Lockheed Martin’s ATACMS Missile Shakes Up Ukraine-Russia War with First Strike on Russian Soil

    DEBATE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Shocking Truth: 100 Deaths a Year in New Delhi Due to Unbearable Air Pollution

    LIFESTYLE&nbsp

  • 2
    China's Education System Faces Extreme Gender Imbalance: More Boys in Kindergarten, More Girls in College

    ASIA&nbsp

  • 3
    China's Safety Reputation Shattered After Deadly SUV Attack on Schoolgoers

    ASIA&nbsp

  • 4
    Kim Jong Un Pushes for Expansion of Industrial Achievements as He Inspects Songchon Factory

    ASIA&nbsp

  • 5
    7 Kenyan Marathon Runners Scammed Into Illegal Fish Farm Jobs in South Korea—How Did This Happen?

    DEBATE&nbsp

Weekly Best Articles

  • Judge in Shanghai Calls Cryptos ‘Commodities,’ But Cautions Against Speculation and Crime
  • President Yoon’s Interpreter Faces Off with Brazilian Security in Tense G20 Moment
  • North Korean Soldiers Accused of Gang-Raping Russian Student During Training
  • North Korea’s Hidden Nuclear Plans Revealed – And They’re More Dangerous Than We Thought
  • North Korean Leader’s Nuclear Threats Intensify as Troops Engage in Russia-Ukraine Conflict
  • Ukraine Just Got Its Deadliest Weapon—Is This the Most Dangerous Move Yet?
  • NIS Hints at Kim Jong Un’s Visit to Russia—Could Major Weapons Transfers Be Next?
  • U.S. Faces $3.4 Billion Economic Loss as China Tightens Control Over Essential Tech Minerals
  • Putin Sends 70+ Animals to North Korea’s Zoo—Including Female Lions
  • Walmart’s Sales Soar to $169.59 Billion – What’s Driving Their Record Growth?
  • Ford Announces 4,000 Job Cuts in Europe Amid Struggles with Electric Vehicle Transition
  • Historic Agreement Signed in Pyongyang to Boost Trade and Science with Russia

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Why Dehydration Could Be More Dangerous in Winter Than You Think – Here's How to Stay Hydrated

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    THIS $279,000 Cruise Offers a 4-Year Getaway From Trump’s America

    DEBATE 

  • 3
    US Needs News ‘Manhattan Project’ to Stay Ahead of China in AI, Report Says

    DEBATE 

  • 4
    Romance Scam Victim Lost $125K to Fake U.S. Military ‘Boyfriend’ in Major Seoul Bust

    ASIA 

  • 5
    Lockheed Martin’s ATACMS Missile Shakes Up Ukraine-Russia War with First Strike on Russian Soil

    DEBATE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Shocking Truth: 100 Deaths a Year in New Delhi Due to Unbearable Air Pollution

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    China's Education System Faces Extreme Gender Imbalance: More Boys in Kindergarten, More Girls in College

    ASIA 

  • 3
    China's Safety Reputation Shattered After Deadly SUV Attack on Schoolgoers

    ASIA 

  • 4
    Kim Jong Un Pushes for Expansion of Industrial Achievements as He Inspects Songchon Factory

    ASIA 

  • 5
    7 Kenyan Marathon Runners Scammed Into Illegal Fish Farm Jobs in South Korea—How Did This Happen?

    DEBATE