President Donald Trump said Japan has agreed to accept imports of Ford Motor Co.’s full-size F-150 pickup trucks under a bilateral trade deal announced last month. He cited the pledge as evidence that Tokyo is opening its market to American vehicles, a long-standing goal of successive U.S. administrations. The accord, outlined in a recent White House memo, would replace the threatened 25% surcharge on Japanese goods with a 15% “reciprocal” tariff and, according to Washington, require Japan to lift safety and other restrictions on U.S. automobiles. Tokyo also committed to boost purchases of American rice and to mobilize as much as US$550 billion in investments in the United States, Trump said. Japanese officials contest several elements of the deal. Chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa, in Washington this week, said Japan expects the 15% rate to cap total duties rather than add to the existing 2.5% levy on cars, which together with Trump’s April tariff brings the current rate to 27.5%. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told parliament that clarifying these details is an "extremely urgent" task. Industry analysts question whether the F-150—more than two metres wide without mirrors—can gain traction in Japan, where many two-lane roads measure under four metres. Ford withdrew from the country in 2016 after years of weak sales, and U.S. brands still account for less than 1% of the Japanese market. Critics argue that vehicle size and consumer preference, rather than regulatory barriers, limit American car sales in Japan.