Kenya’s taste for second-hand cars driving up prices – Japanese envoy
By Luke Oluoch, September 19, 2025Japan’s envoy to Kenya, Hiroshi Matsuura, has spoken out on the increasing charges of importing motor vehicles from the major global motor vehicle manufacturer.
Speaking to a local radio on Friday, September 19, 2025, the envoy stated that the giant manufacturer, which houses several automotive companies, has been forced to compete with the prevailing market trends brought about by Kenyan’s love for second-hand cars.
The envoys observed the willingness of East Asian nations to sell their automobiles at an affordable price, but acknowledged that the burdensome charges are primarily influenced by competing alternatives offered by their rivals.
“The Japanese car assembly companies are here in Kenya; they want to sell their cars as cheaply as possible, but have to compete with cheaper imported second-hand cars that Kenyans tend to prefer. That makes production of the new cars here higher,” he disclosed.
He maintained that increasing importation charges are dictated by the country’s tax system.
He stated that a paradigm shift in the approach of evening out the tax for a long duration of ownership could ease the burden on people importing automobiles.
“Taxation matters are exclusively decided by the government. I think the present tax system for cars is too heavily based on the time of purchase. If that tax could even out a little for a long duration of the ownership, like for a period of five to seven years, then the tax burden at the time of purchase could be a little bit lower,” he stated.
His sentiments come amid renewed calls for cooperation between the two countries. The matter was underscored during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi led the Kenyan delegation in the country with calls for strengthening bilateral relations and opening doors for expanded trade, investment, and development cooperation, taking centre stage.