All the pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together now. Over the last week, NASCAR has been enjoying its time in Japan. With the exhibition race held at Fuji Speedway, Toyota’s CEO has welcomed the American motorsport with wide arms. Whether it’s taking a spin in John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 42 NASCAR car or getting a fresh click and practically fanboying over the Garage 56 Chevrolet 24 Hours of Le Mans car, Toyoda has surely been on top of things.

Toyota announced a massive $912 million boost to its US manufacturing operations on Tuesday, just days after CEO Akio Toyoda made headlines for hosting a red, white, and blue NASCAR celebration in Japan. All while wearing a Trump-Vance and a red MAGA hat, and there’s a good reason behind it.

Akio Toyoda clears the air amid his support for Trump

Before the endurance race took place, the CEO of Toyota said, “I’m not here to argue whether tariffs are good or bad. Every national leader wants to protect their own industry. We are exploring ways to make tariffs a winner for everyone. The people we want most to be winners are our customers.” Under the new trade terms reached in September, Japan now faces a roughly 15% baseline tariff on auto imports, down from 27.5%.

For years, media conglomerates and tech giants have tiptoed around Donald Trump, quietly settling lawsuits and doing just enough to avoid becoming his next target. Most corporations keep this dance hidden, terrified of sparking political backlash. But Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda broke the unspoken rule spectacularly, stepping straight into the Trump controversy with a bold, very public display of MAGA alliance.

The star-spangled Sunday event at Fuji Speedway delivered American motorsports flair, featuring top NASCAR drivers, fans waving US flags, and even an appearance from US Ambassador to Japan George Glass. Toyoda used the high-profile moment and his unmistakably bold pro-Trump wardrobe to touch on the simmering trade concerns between the US and Japan.

Ambassador Glass posted photos from the event, captioned, “Start your engines!” alongside images of himself with the grandson of Toyota founder Kiichiro Toyoda. Glass added that he looks forward to celebrating American motorsports again next year as part of the US 250th anniversary festivities planned in Japan.

On Tuesday, Toyota, the No. 2 seller of new vehicles in the US behind GM, revealed its nearly $1 billion investment aimed at expanding hybrid vehicle production across the southern United States.

Toyota’s showcase ties into its broader commitment to expand operations in the United States, a plan that President Trump disclosed last month could see the company invest as much as $10 billion by 2030. Much of that spending is slated to wrap up by 2027.

The automaker already dominates the hybrid landscape, holding more than half of the US market through the third quarter, per Motor Intelligence. Now, Toyota aims to push production even further by ramping up hybrid engine and vehicle output at select American plants.

Kevin Voelkel, the company’s senior vice president of manufacturing operations, said, “Customers are embracing Toyota’s hybrid vehicles, and our US manufacturing teams are gearing up to meet that growing demand. Toyota’s philosophy is to build where we sell, and by adding more American jobs and investing across our US footprint, we continue to stay true to that philosophy.”

The single largest commitment in this investment package is $453 million for Toyota’s Buffalo, West Virginia, plant, which will scale the production of hybrid-compatible four-cylinder engines. Another $204.4 million will go to the Georgetown, Kentucky, facility for similar engine expansion.

Toyota is allocating $125 million to increase Corolla production and add hybrid capacity at its Blue Springs, Mississippi, plant. Additional funds include $71.4 million for the Jackson, Tennessee, facility and $57.1 million for the Troy, Missouri, plant. Altogether, the organization expects the new investments to generate 252 additional US jobs. But as Toyoda won the hearts of the American Motorsports fans, Jimmie Johnson and JHN couldn’t help but piece up a return gift for “Morizo”.

LMC drivers leave a heartwarming gift for Akio Toyoda

The Super Taikyu Series finale at Fuji Speedway last weekend became more than just the closing chapter of Japan’s top-end endurance championship. The weekend transformed itself into an unexpected cultural exchange when six NASCAR stock cars took the wheel at the historic circuit as part of the USA motorsport culture introduction demo run. Yet even amid the spectacle, it was seven-time Cup Series champion and Legacy Motor Club owner Jimmie Johnson’s thoughtful gesture towards Toyota chairman that drew equal attention.

Toyoda emerged as one of the day’s standout participants. Wearing his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Rookie fire suit, he climbed into a Chevrolet before venturing out in several machines, encouraged in part by gifts from Johnson. The 50-year-old driver handed him a signed helmet and a bottle of Frank August Kentucky bourbon, while JHN added a second autographed helmet to the haul. This symbolizes gratitude and an extended way of saying thank you.

Since debuting in 1991, the series has functioned as Japan’s prime proving ground for production-based cars and cutting-edge concepts like Toyota’s hydrogen-powered GR Corolla H2. Then the NASCAR demonstration only expanded that mission, highlighting Toyoda’s push for sustainable innovation and deepening global collaboration in racing.