After much huffing and puffing and badgering from foreign automakers, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry decided last month to allow imported vehicle brands to be eligible for Japan’s eco-car subsidy scheme (or cash-for-clunkers, as it’s known overseas). This has become a contentious issue over the past year: while Japanese automakers have benefited from a similar scheme in the US, their American counterparts are having a much tougher time here. The ministry gave the go-ahead for 15 imported models, including the Citroen C4, BMW Mini and Peugeot 207, but only a couple from the US, prompting complaints from Detroit. Their main gripe: Japan uses fuel-economy ratings based on “city” driving—instead of a “combined city/highway” mileage rating—as the basis for determining eligibility, thus limiting the number of US models that qualify for the program. In 2009, around 4,300 of the listed models were sold in Japan, roughly 80 percent of which were European. If you drive a Hummer H3 V8, though, you’re in luck.
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