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November 30, 2000 8:50 AM, EST

TOKYO — The medium-duty truck market in the United States may not rack up sales numbers as large as the heavy-duty, Class 8 category, but it has the attention of Japanese truck makers.

They view the relative stability and breadth of the American medium-duty truck market as an opportunity to stabilize and strengthen their export business.

“The United States is one of our three most important markets, along with Japan and Asia,” said Taizo Matsuo, general manager of overseas operations for Nissan Diesel. “Our strategy is that if we can’t keep a certain volume in all those markets, the company can’t survive.”

Executives with Nissan, Hino Motors, Isuzu Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus said they may introduce new products and increased marketing efforts into the United States in 2001.

For the full story, see the Nov. 27 print edition of Transport Topics. .