How can I return a Japan-purchased iPhone 16 Pro to the US Apple Store for an exchange?

So I'm in a bit of a unique situation. Last week while traveling around Japan, I ended up losing my iPhone 15 Pro in Shibuya. After 2 days of looking for it aimlessly I ended up purchasing a new iPhone 16 pro from the Apple store in Shibuya since I needed to get around the country and I assumed that it would work just fine in the US. I was wrong. Regional software issues prevent me from using Apple Car Play and other features here in the US so I'm looking to exchange this iPhone for a US region model. Stopping by a physical store, they said there's nothing that they can do and that I should contact the apple support number. I did and their support staff told me that I would have to "go return the iPhone I purchased to the store in Shibuya" . I don't have the economic means to do that. I asked if there was any way Apple can help facilitate that since they're under the same umbrella like contacting them so I can get a return set up as well as a shipping label to make the 14 day return window, but the person on the other line says that I would have to figure that out myself. Surely I couldn't be the first person who's lost their Phone early into their vacation overseas and had to purchase a new one. Any insight or help would be appreciated. Still can't believe that the best option a physical store told me was to just go back to Japan to return the phone.

[Edited by Moderator]