Suzuki Japan's top importer with made-in-India cars

SUZUKI MOTOR BEAT Mercedes-Benz Group to become Japan's top car importer in June, thanks to the Jimny Nomad and another popular small SUV assembled in India.

- TSUYOSHI INAJIMA

The Japan carmaker brought 4,780 vehicles into the nation last month, up a dramatic 230-fold jump from a year earlier, overtaking Germany's Mercedes-Benz, according to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association on Friday. Suzuki also clinched the top spot in April.

Although Honda Motor is also known as a long-time importer of its own cars into Japan, Suzuki's feat is notable because it's one of the smaller manufacturers in terms of total global output, well behind market leader Toyota Motor. Automobile imports have become a hot topic again with US President Donald Trump deploying the threat of tariffs to pressure Japan to import more cars made in America.