How Our Japanese Vehicle Export Business Changed Since 2010

How Our Japanese Vehicle Export Business Changed Since 2010

In 2010, I visited Uganda for the first time.

At that time, I was thinking mainly about where Japanese used vehicles could be sold and how we could build our business in overseas markets.

Sixteen years later, I look at the business differently.

Today, I think much more about what those vehicles can do after they arrive: how a truck can support transportation, how a bus can move people, how a tractor can improve agricultural work, and how machinery can support construction and infrastructure.

That change in perspective reflects a much larger change in our Japanese vehicle export business.

Since establishing EVERY TRADING in 2006, we have worked with customers in more than 100 countries. During that time, three major parts of our business have evolved: the vehicles we handle, the way we source them in Japan, and the support we provide after a customer chooses a vehicle.

Watch the video: How Our Japanese Used Vehicle Export Business Changed Since 2010 | EVERY CEO

1. From Passenger Cars to Vehicles That Support Business

In the earlier years of our business, passenger cars were an important part of Japanese vehicle export.

They still matter today. However, over time, we began receiving more inquiries for vehicles that customers use directly in their businesses.

That includes Japanese used trucks, buses, farm tractors, and construction machinery.

This change taught me something important.

A working vehicle is not simply something that moves from one place to another. It can become part of a customer's income and business growth.

A truck may deliver goods every day. A bus may support public transport, tourism, schools, or employee transportation. A tractor may help a farmer increase productivity. Construction machinery may support roads, buildings, and other projects.

Because of this, our conversations with customers have also changed.

We need to understand more than make, model, year, and price.

We need to ask what work the vehicle will do, where it will operate, what specifications are required, and what can be maintained locally.

Japanese Working Vehicles Became a Bigger Part of EVERY

Today, trucks, buses, tractors, and machinery have become a major focus of EVERY TRADING.

For a customer looking for a Japanese used bus, seating capacity may be critical.

A buyer searching for a Japanese used farm tractor may need to think about horsepower, 4WD, size, and available attachments.

Machinery buyers may focus on operating hours, machine size, attachments, hydraulic condition, and transport requirements.

In each case, the question is not simply, “Is this a good vehicle?”

The better question is, “Is this the right vehicle for this customer's work?”

2. From Auctions and Dealer Stock to a Wider Sourcing Network

The second major change has been how we find vehicles in Japan.

Japanese vehicle auctions and dealer stock remain very important sources. They give overseas buyers access to a large number of vehicles across the country.

However, our sourcing network has expanded over the years.

Today, we look across a wider range of opportunities in Japan to find vehicles that match specific customer requirements.

That matters because the best vehicle is not always sitting in one stock list.

A customer may need a particular truck body, engine, model code, seating configuration, tractor specification, or special-purpose vehicle.

In those cases, wider sourcing gives us more options.

Customers can also access Japanese dealer stock and auction vehicles through EVERY Auction & Dealer Stock, which expands the range beyond vehicles held directly in our own stock.

More Choice Requires Better Vehicle Selection

A larger sourcing network creates opportunity, but it also creates responsibility.

Thousands of available vehicles do not automatically make buying easier.

In fact, more choice can make the decision harder.

For example, two trucks may look similar online but have different engines, body dimensions, payloads, transmissions, conditions, or maintenance histories.

A cheaper vehicle may not always provide better value if it does not suit the customer's work.

Therefore, sourcing is only the first step.

We also need to help customers compare the available choices and understand what represents practical value for their market.

3. From Vehicle Exporting to Broader Logistics Support

The third change is what happens after the vehicle is purchased.

In the past, it was easy to think of our role mainly as exporting a vehicle from Japan.

Today, customers often need wider support.

That can include export documentation, shipping arrangements, port coordination, and other logistics related to moving the vehicle from Japan to its destination.

In some markets, our work may also extend further through support related to customs clearance and inland delivery, depending on the country and available local arrangements.

This is an important change in the way I think about our business.

The customer's goal is usually not to put a vehicle on a ship in Japan.

The goal is to get the vehicle where it is needed so it can begin working.

The Journey Does Not End at the Japanese Port

International shipping can be complicated.

Different destinations have different shipping routes, port conditions, documentation requirements, inspections, and import procedures.

Customers may also need to understand the difference between shipping methods, estimated schedules, and what happens after a vessel arrives.

That means good export support must connect vehicle purchasing with logistics.

At EVERY, our shipping team works alongside the sales side so that the customer can understand what comes next after choosing the vehicle.

This broader support has become an increasingly important part of how we serve international buyers.

What My First Visit to Uganda Taught Me

When I first visited Uganda in 2010, I was thinking about the countries where we could sell Japanese vehicles.

Now, when I visit overseas markets, I pay much more attention to the businesses those vehicles support.

I look at how trucks are used.

I notice which buses operate on local roads.

I look at farms, construction projects, logistics businesses, and transportation networks.

Those experiences help me understand why a particular vehicle specification may work well in one country but not in another.

They also remind me that international trade is not complete when a transaction is finished.

The real value appears when the vehicle begins contributing to the customer's work.

More Than 100 Countries, but No Single Solution

Working with customers in more than 100 countries has shown us how different each market can be.

Road conditions vary. Fuel availability varies. Import rules vary. Shipping routes, maintenance environments, budgets, and business needs also vary.

That is why we cannot approach every inquiry in exactly the same way.

A truck that is ideal for one transport company may be unsuitable for another.

A tractor that works well on one type of farm may not match another customer's land or attachments.

Understanding these differences is becoming more important as our sourcing network and service range continue to grow.

What Has Not Changed Since 2010

Many parts of our business have changed.

We handle a wider range of vehicles.

We source through a broader network.

Our support now reaches further into shipping and logistics.

Technology has also transformed how quickly we can communicate and share information.

However, one fundamental principle has not changed.

We need to understand what the customer actually needs.

More stock does not help if we recommend the wrong vehicle. Faster communication does not help if the information is unclear. Better logistics do not matter if the vehicle itself does not suit the customer's business.

Right Vehicle, Right Value, Right Support

Looking back at the changes since my first Uganda visit in 2010, I believe our role has gradually expanded from exporting vehicles to supporting the customer's complete purchasing journey.

That is the direction I want EVERY to continue developing.

• Right Vehicle — a vehicle or machine that matches the customer's real work, country, and operating conditions.
• Right Value — value based not only on price, but also on condition, suitability, sourcing options, and long-term usefulness.
• Right Support — experienced assistance from sourcing and vehicle selection through export documentation, shipping, and logistics.

Japanese working vehicles can support transportation, agriculture, construction, logistics, and many other businesses around the world.

Our job is to continue improving how we connect those vehicles with the people who can put them to work.

The business has changed greatly since 2010. I believe it will continue changing.

But our purpose remains clear: understand the customer, find the right solution, and support the journey from Japan to the work that comes next.

Yuichiro Watabe
President & CEO
EVERY TRADING Co., Ltd.
Niigata, Japan

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