SHANGHAI -- Despite President Donald Trump's tough talk on trade with Japan, Detroit automakers see no path to higher sales there, even with a negotiated breakthrough.
Ford Motor Co., which abandoned the Japanese auto market last year, says it won't return to Japan, no matter what kind of trade deal Trump inks with Tokyo.
And General Motors says it's fine with its current niche toehold, selling a little more than 100 vehicles a month.
Executives from both automakers said political pressure on Japan is unlikely to change market dynamics enough to significantly move the needle in sales. And the resources the companies would need to invest to boost sales in Japan are better spent elsewhere, they say.
The remarks from the sidelines of the Shanghai auto show highlight Detroit's waning concern with winning access to Japan and its shifting focus to new markets -- especially China.