Japanese bemused by Trump’s bowling ball car test claim
US president insisted bowling balls were dropped on cars in Japan to test their quality
A claim by US President Donald Trump that Japan tests the quality of cars by dropping bowling balls on them has prompted confusion and ridicule among some Japanese.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump claimed in a fundraising speech that Japan was using unreasonable testing standards to keep out US auto companies.
“They take a bowling ball from 20 feet up in the air and they drop it on the hood of the car,” Trump reportedly said. “And if the hood dents, then the car doesn’t qualify. Well, guess what, the roof dented a little bit, and they said, nope, this car doesn’t qualify. It’s horrible, the way we’re treated. It’s horrible.”
Several Japanese media outlets picked up the Post report and Japanese Twitter users reacted with confusion and derision.
“Stupid Trump … says Japan carries out a test dropping a bowling ball on cars,” wrote user @BlackTower_B. “It’s too stupid for words.”