The ride of a country’s president or prime minister has to be relevant to local automakers, and Japan is lucky on that front because Toyota’s Century sub-brand builds exactly the right kind of car for the job. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has just traded her Century sedan for a new Century SUV, keeping the tradition of the phoenix badge alive.

 

The vehicle turned up in Tokyo a few days ago. Local media tracked it carrying Takaichi from her official residence to the National Diet Building and out to Haneda Airport, trailed as always by a small fleet of previous-generation Lexus LS sedans running security.