President Trump's Second Term

The Real Reason America Can’t Have The Tiny Japanese-Style Cars Trump Says He Wants

Trump is right that kei cars are super-kawaii — but he's wrong that clearing the regulatory decks is enough to bring them to U.S. shores.

By Kea Wilson

12:02 AM EST on December 17, 2025

The Real Reason America Can’t Have The Tiny Japanese-Style Cars Trump Says He Wants

Trump is right that kei cars are super-kawaii — but he’s wrong that clearing the regulatory decks is enough to bring them to U.S. shores.

Kea Wilson

Kea Wilson has more than a dozen years of experience as a writer telling emotional, urgent and actionable stories that motivate average Americans to get involved in making their cities better places. She is also a novelist, cyclist, and affordable housing advocate. She previously worked at Strong Towns, and currently lives in St. Louis, MO. Kea can be reached at kea@streetsblog.org or on Twitter @streetsblogkea.

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