Honda will sell an Acura in Japan for the first time by reverse importing the Integra Type S

• Honda is bringing Acura to Japan for the first time and will export the Integra Type S from Ohio, according to a report from Automotive News.
• The Integra Type S will be joined by the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite, both of which will be exported in the second half of 2026.
• Both the Integra Type S and Passport will retain their US specifications, along with their left-hand drive designs, which will likely limit their sales figures.

Honda will export an Acura model from the United States to Japan, marking the first time an Acura-branded car has been sold in the country, according to reports Automotive News. The automaker does not plan to transfer its entire lineup to Japan, but will only import the Ohio-built Integra Type S. At the same time, Honda plans to bring the US-built Passport to Japan as well, bringing the off-road-focused SUV to the brand’s home market.

Both the Integra and Passport will be imported into Japan according to their US specifications, meaning they will both have a left-hand drive design. The fourth generation Passport was designed in California, engineered in Ohio and built in Alabama. The imported TrailSport Elite trim comes equipped with all-terrain tires, off-road-tuned suspension and reinforced steel skid plates for rock protection.

The decision to import the Integra in reverse marks a full-circle moment for the performance car. The Integra was one of the first two Acura products sold in the United States when Honda first founded the brand in 1986, along with the Acura Legend. At the time, the Integra was sold as a Honda model in Japan and imported into the United States with Acura badging. Today, the Integra Type S is built exclusively in Ohio, with no JDM version of the Honda Integra available for purchase.

Exports of both models will begin in the second half of 2026. We don’t expect either model to generate huge sales figures for Honda, especially because of the left-hand drive designation, although some enthusiasts will certainly snap them up.

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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his still unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealer group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford, and decided to pursue a career in automotive writing. By chasing down his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel across Wisconsin in search of stories about the automotive world before landing his dream job at Car and driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.