While American cars and culture have always enjoyed a passionate following among hobbyists in Japan, American brands in the mainstream lag far behind not just Japanese domestic brands but European imports as well. This is slowly changing, but it’s not Chevrolet or Ford that is winning over Japanese buyers — it’s Tesla. The American electric car company has been making huge strides in the Japanese market, overtaking not just legacy American automakers but also established European brands. In fact, in May of 2026, the Tesla Model Y was so popular that it became Japan’s top-selling import model overall.

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