Automotive industry in Japan
Automotive industry in Japan
The Japanese automotive industry is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japan rapidly enhanced from the 1970s to the 1990s (when it was oriented both for domestic use and worldwide export) and in the 1980s and 1990s, overtook the U.S. as the production leader with up to thirteen million cars per year manufactured and significant exports. After massive ramp-up by China in the 2000s and fluctuating U.S. output, Japan is now presently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2012. [1] Japanese investments helped grow the auto industry in many countries across the last few decades. [ citation needed ]
Japanese zaibatsu (business conglomerates) began building their very first automobiles in the middle to late 1910s. The companies went about this by either designing their own trucks (the market for passenger vehicles in Japan at the time was petite), or partnering with a European brand to produce and sell their cars in Japan under license. Such examples of this are Isuzu partnering with Wolseley Motors (UK), Nissan partnering with British automaker Austin, and the Mitsubishi Model A, which was based upon the Fiat Tipo Three. The request for domestic trucks was greatly enlargened by the Japanese military buildup before World War II, causing many Japanese manufacturers to break out of their shells and design their own vehicles. In the 1970s Japan was the pioneer in robotics manufacturing of vehicles.
The country is home to a number of companies that produce cars, construction vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and engines. Japanese automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Mitsuoka.
Cars designed in Japan have won the European Car of the Year, International Car of the Year, and World Car of the Year awards many times. Japanese vehicles have had worldwide influence, and no longer have the stigma they had in the 1950s and 1960s when they very first emerged internationally.
Contents
Early years Edit
In 1904, Torao Yamaha produced the very first domestically manufactured bus, which was powered by a steam engine. In 1907, Komanosuke Uchiyama produced the Takuri, the very first entirely Japanese-made gasoline engine car. The Kunisue Automobile Works built the Kunisue in 1910, and the following year manufactured the Tokyo in cooperation with Tokyo Motor Vehicles Ltd. In 1911, Kaishinsha Motorcar Works was established and later began manufacturing a car called the DAT. In 1920, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Co., founded by William R. Gorham, began building the Gorham and later the Lila. The company merged with Kaishinsha in one thousand nine hundred twenty six to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. (later to evolve into Nissan Motors). From one thousand nine hundred twenty four to 1927, Hakuyosha Ironworks Ltd. built the Otomo. Toyota, a textile manufacturer, began building cars in 1936. [Two] Most early vehicles, however, were trucks produced under military subsidy. Isuzu, Yanmar and Daihatsu originally focused on diesel engine development.
Cars built in Japan before World War II tended to be based on European or American models. The one thousand nine hundred seventeen Mitsubishi Model A was based on the Fiat A3-3 design. (This model was considered to be the very first mass-produced car in Japan, with twenty two units produced.) In the 1930s, Nissan Motors’ cars were based on the Austin seven and Graham-Paige designs, while the Toyota AA model was based on the Chrysler Airflow. Ohta built cars in the 1930s based on Ford models, while Chiyoda built a car resembling a one thousand nine hundred thirty five Pontiac, and Sumida built a car similar to a LaSalle. [Three] [Four]
Automobile manufacture from Japanese companies was fighting, despite investment efforts by the Japanese Government. The one thousand nine hundred twenty three Superb Kantō earthquake devastated most of Japan’s fledgling infrastructure and truck and construction equipment manufacturing benefited from recovery efforts. Yanase & Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヤナセ Yanase Kabushiki gaisha) was an importer of American-made cars to Japan and contributed to disaster recovery efforts by importing GMC trucks and construction equipment. By bringing in American products, Japanese manufacturers were able to examine the imported vehicles and develop their own products.
From one thousand nine hundred twenty five until the beginning of World War II, Ford and GM [Five] had factories in Japan, where they predominated the Japanese market. The Ford Motor Company of Japan was established in one thousand nine hundred twenty five and a production plant was set up in Yokohama. General Motors established operations in Osaka in 1927. Chrysler also came to Japan and set up Kyoritsu Motors. [6] Inbetween one thousand nine hundred twenty five and 1936, the United States Big Three automakers’ Japanese subsidiaries produced a total of 208,967 vehicles, compared to the domestic producers total of 12,127 vehicles. In 1936, the Japanese government passed the Automobile Manufacturing Industry Law, which was intended to promote the domestic auto industry and reduce foreign competition; [7] ironically, this stopped the groundbreaking of an integrated Ford plant in Yokohama, modeled on Dagenham in England and intended to serve the Asian market, that would have established Japan as a major exporter [ citation needed ] . Instead by 1939, the foreign manufacturers had been coerced out of Japan. Vehicle production was shifted in the late 1930s to truck production due to the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. [8] [9] [Ten]
During World War II, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu and Kurogane built trucks and motorcycles for the Imperial Japanese Army, with Kurogane introducing the worlds very first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car, called the Kurogane Type ninety five in 1936. For the very first decade after World War II, auto production was limited, and until one thousand nine hundred sixty six most production consisted of trucks (including three-wheeled vehicles). Thereafter passenger cars predominated the market. Japanese car designs also continued to imitate or be derived from European and American designs. [11] Exports were very limited in the 1950s, adding up to only Three.1% of the total passenger car production of the decade. [12]
1960s to today Edit
During the 1960s, Japanese automakers launched a bevy of fresh kei cars in their domestic market; scooters and motorcycles remained superior, with sales of 1.47 million in one thousand nine hundred sixty versus a mere 36,000 kei cars. [13] These little automobiles usually featured very petite engines (under 360cc, but were sometimes fitted with engines of up to 600cc for export) to keep taxes much lower than larger cars. The average person in Japan was now able to afford an automobile, which boosted sales dramatically and jumpstarted the auto industry toward becoming what it is today. The very first of this fresh era, actually launched in 1958, was the Subaru 360. It was known as the “Lady Beetle”, comparing its significance to the Volkswagen Beetle in Germany. Other significant models were the Suzuki Fronte, Mitsubishi Minica, Mazda Carol, and the Honda N360.
The keis were very minimalist motoring, however, much too petite for most family car usage. The most popular economy car segment in the sixties was the 700-800 cc class, embodied by the Toyota Publica, Mitsubishi Colt 800, and the original Mazda Familia. By the end of the sixties, however, these (often two-stroke) cars were being substituted by utter one-litre cars with four-stroke engines, a budge which was spearheaded by Nissan’s one thousand nine hundred sixty six Sunny. [14] All other manufacturers quickly followed suit, except for Toyota who tooled their Corolla with a 1.1 litre engine – the extra one hundred cc were strenuously touted in period advertising. These puny family cars took a fatter and thicker share of an already expanding market. All vehicles sold in Japan were taxed yearly based on exterior dimensions and engine displacement. This was established by legislation passed in one thousand nine hundred fifty that established tax brackets on two classifications; dimension regulations and engine displacement. The taxes were a primary consideration as to which vehicles were selected by Japanese consumers, and guided manufacturers as to what type of vehicles the market would buy.
Export expansion Edit
Exports of passenger cars enhanced almost twohundred-fold in the sixties compared to the previous decade, and were now up to 17.0 percent of the total production. [12] This tho’, was still only the beginning. Rapidly enhancing domestic request and the expansion of Japanese car companies into foreign markets in the 1970s further accelerated growth. Effects of the one thousand nine hundred seventy three Arab Oil Embargo accelerated vehicle exports along with the exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the U.S. Dollar, UK Pound, and West German Deutsche Mark. Passenger car exports rose from 100,000 in one thousand nine hundred sixty five to 1,827,000 in 1975. Automobile production in Japan continued to increase rapidly after the 1970s, as Mitsubishi (as Dodge vehicles) and Honda began selling their vehicles in the US. Even more brands came to America and abroad during the 1970s, and by the 1980s, the Japanese manufacturers were gaining a major foothold in the US and world markets.
Japanese cars became popular with British buyers in the early 1970s, with Nissan’s Datsun badged cars (the Nissan brand was not used on British registered models until 1983) proving especially popular and earning a reputation in Britain for their reliability and low running costs, albeit rust was a major problem. In the 1960s Japanese manufacturers began to rival head-on in the domestic market, model for model. This was exemplified by the “CB-war” inbetween the Toyota Corona and Nissan’s Bluebird. While this primarily led to benefits for consumers, before long R&D expenditures swelled. Towards the late 1980s and early 1990s Japanese automobile manufacturers had entered a stage of “Hyper-design” and “Hyper-equipment”; an arms race leading to less competitive products albeit produced in a very efficient manner. [15]
World leader Edit
With Japanese manufacturers producing very affordable, reliable, and popular cars across the 1990s, Japan became the largest car producing nation in the world in 2000. However, its market share has decreased slightly in latest years, particularly due to old and fresh competition from South Korea, China and India. Nevertheless, Japan’s car industry proceeds to flourish, its market share has risen again, and in the very first quarter of two thousand eight Toyota surpassed American General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer. [16] Today, Japan is the third largest automobile market and, until China recently overtook them, was the largest car producer in the world. Still, automobile export remains one of the country’s most profitable exports and is a cornerstone of recovery plan for the latest economic crisis. Even tho’ Japan has been taken over by Mainland China as the world’s largest car producer, Japanese imports proceed to be widely used on streets and highways in the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
- 1907 – Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. established
- 1911 – Kaishinsha Motorcar Works established
- 1917 – Mitsubishi Motors’ 1st car
- 1917 – Nippon Internal Combustion Engine Co. Ltd. established (integrated into Nissan)
- 1918 – Isuzu’s 1st car
- 1920-1925 – Gorham/Lila – auto production established (merged into Datsun)
- 1924-1927 – Otomo built at the Hakuyosha Ironworks in Tokyo
- 1931 – Mazda Mazdago – by Toyo Kogyo corp, later Mazda
- 1934-1957 – Ohta starts auto production
- 1936 – Kurogane Type ninety five world’s very first four-wheel-drive car manufactured
- 1936 – Toyota’s 1st car (Toyota AA)
- 1952-1966 – Prince Motor Company (integrated into Nissan)
- 1953-1967 – Hino Motors starts auto production (merged into Toyota)
- 1954 – Subaru’s 1st car (Subaru P-1)
- 1955 – Suzuki’s 1st car (Suzulight)
- 1957 – Daihatsu’s 1st car (Daihatsu Midget)
- 1963 – Honda’s 1st production car (Honda S500)
- 1966 – One of the best selling cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is introduced; Nissan opens its very first North American manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico as Nissan Mexicana
- 1967 – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is founded
- 1967 – Mazda Cosmo 110S was one of the very first two mass-produced cars with Wankel rotary engine
- 1980 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing; Nissan USA violates ground for its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant
- 1981 – Voluntary Export Restraints from May limit exports to United States to 1.68 million cars per year; redundant by one thousand nine hundred ninety as production inwards US displaces direct exports; similar policies in several EU countries [17]
- 1982 – Honda Accord becomes the very first Japanese car built in the United States at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio manufacturing facility
- 1982 – Mitsuoka 1st car (BUBU shuttle 50)
- 1983 – Holden and Nissan form a joint venture in Australia; Nissan Sunny (Sentra) assembled at Nissan’s Smryna, Tennessee facility
- 1984 – Toyota opens NUMMI, the very first joint venture plant in the United States with General Motors
- 1986 – Acura is launched in the US by Honda
- 1988 – Daihatsu comes in the US making it the very first time all nine Japanese manufacturers are present; Toyota Camry becomes third Japanese car manufactured at Toyota’s Erlanger, Kentucky assembly plant
- 1989 – Lexus is launched in the US by Toyota
- 1989 – Infiniti is launched in the US by Nissan
- 1989 – United Australian Automobile Industries (UAAI) founded in Australia as a joint venture inbetween Toyota and Holden
- 1991 – Mazda HR-X was one of the very first hydrogen (combined with Wankel rotary) car
- 1994 – Japan conceded to the United States back in auto manufacturing
- 1996 – UAAI joint venture dissolved
- 1997 – Toyota Prius was the very first mass-produced hybrid car
- 2003 – Scion is launched by Toyota
- 2006 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing again
- 2008 – Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer
- 2009 – Japan was strike by China and became 2nd in auto manufacturing
- 2010 – 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls
- 2011 – Tohoku earthquake affects production.
The following are vehicle production volumes for Japanese vehicle manufacturers, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). [Legal]
Automotive industry in Japan
Automotive industry in Japan
The Japanese automotive industry is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japan rapidly enlargened from the 1970s to the 1990s (when it was oriented both for domestic use and worldwide export) and in the 1980s and 1990s, overtook the U.S. as the production leader with up to thirteen million cars per year manufactured and significant exports. After massive ramp-up by China in the 2000s and fluctuating U.S. output, Japan is now presently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2012. [1] Japanese investments helped grow the auto industry in many countries across the last few decades. [ citation needed ]
Japanese zaibatsu (business conglomerates) began building their very first automobiles in the middle to late 1910s. The companies went about this by either designing their own trucks (the market for passenger vehicles in Japan at the time was petite), or partnering with a European brand to produce and sell their cars in Japan under license. Such examples of this are Isuzu partnering with Wolseley Motors (UK), Nissan partnering with British automaker Austin, and the Mitsubishi Model A, which was based upon the Fiat Tipo Trio. The request for domestic trucks was greatly enlargened by the Japanese military buildup before World War II, causing many Japanese manufacturers to break out of their shells and design their own vehicles. In the 1970s Japan was the pioneer in robotics manufacturing of vehicles.
The country is home to a number of companies that produce cars, construction vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and engines. Japanese automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Mitsuoka.
Cars designed in Japan have won the European Car of the Year, International Car of the Year, and World Car of the Year awards many times. Japanese vehicles have had worldwide influence, and no longer have the stigma they had in the 1950s and 1960s when they very first emerged internationally.
Contents
Early years Edit
In 1904, Torao Yamaha produced the very first domestically manufactured bus, which was powered by a steam engine. In 1907, Komanosuke Uchiyama produced the Takuri, the very first entirely Japanese-made gasoline engine car. The Kunisue Automobile Works built the Kunisue in 1910, and the following year manufactured the Tokyo in cooperation with Tokyo Motor Vehicles Ltd. In 1911, Kaishinsha Motorcar Works was established and later began manufacturing a car called the DAT. In 1920, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Co., founded by William R. Gorham, began building the Gorham and later the Lila. The company merged with Kaishinsha in one thousand nine hundred twenty six to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. (later to evolve into Nissan Motors). From one thousand nine hundred twenty four to 1927, Hakuyosha Ironworks Ltd. built the Otomo. Toyota, a textile manufacturer, began building cars in 1936. [Two] Most early vehicles, however, were trucks produced under military subsidy. Isuzu, Yanmar and Daihatsu originally focused on diesel engine development.
Cars built in Japan before World War II tended to be based on European or American models. The one thousand nine hundred seventeen Mitsubishi Model A was based on the Fiat A3-3 design. (This model was considered to be the very first mass-produced car in Japan, with twenty two units produced.) In the 1930s, Nissan Motors’ cars were based on the Austin seven and Graham-Paige designs, while the Toyota AA model was based on the Chrysler Airflow. Ohta built cars in the 1930s based on Ford models, while Chiyoda built a car resembling a one thousand nine hundred thirty five Pontiac, and Sumida built a car similar to a LaSalle. [Three] [Four]
Automobile manufacture from Japanese companies was fighting, despite investment efforts by the Japanese Government. The one thousand nine hundred twenty three Good Kantō earthquake devastated most of Japan’s fledgling infrastructure and truck and construction equipment manufacturing benefited from recovery efforts. Yanase & Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヤナセ Yanase Kabushiki gaisha) was an importer of American-made cars to Japan and contributed to disaster recovery efforts by importing GMC trucks and construction equipment. By bringing in American products, Japanese manufacturers were able to examine the imported vehicles and develop their own products.
From one thousand nine hundred twenty five until the beginning of World War II, Ford and GM [Five] had factories in Japan, where they predominated the Japanese market. The Ford Motor Company of Japan was established in one thousand nine hundred twenty five and a production plant was set up in Yokohama. General Motors established operations in Osaka in 1927. Chrysler also came to Japan and set up Kyoritsu Motors. [6] Inbetween one thousand nine hundred twenty five and 1936, the United States Big Three automakers’ Japanese subsidiaries produced a total of 208,967 vehicles, compared to the domestic producers total of 12,127 vehicles. In 1936, the Japanese government passed the Automobile Manufacturing Industry Law, which was intended to promote the domestic auto industry and reduce foreign competition; [7] ironically, this stopped the groundbreaking of an integrated Ford plant in Yokohama, modeled on Dagenham in England and intended to serve the Asian market, that would have established Japan as a major exporter [ citation needed ] . Instead by 1939, the foreign manufacturers had been coerced out of Japan. Vehicle production was shifted in the late 1930s to truck production due to the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. [8] [9] [Ten]
During World War II, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu and Kurogane built trucks and motorcycles for the Imperial Japanese Army, with Kurogane introducing the worlds very first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car, called the Kurogane Type ninety five in 1936. For the very first decade after World War II, auto production was limited, and until one thousand nine hundred sixty six most production consisted of trucks (including three-wheeled vehicles). Thereafter passenger cars predominated the market. Japanese car designs also continued to imitate or be derived from European and American designs. [11] Exports were very limited in the 1950s, adding up to only Trio.1% of the total passenger car production of the decade. [12]
1960s to today Edit
During the 1960s, Japanese automakers launched a bevy of fresh kei cars in their domestic market; scooters and motorcycles remained superior, with sales of 1.47 million in one thousand nine hundred sixty versus a mere 36,000 kei cars. [13] These lil’ automobiles usually featured very puny engines (under 360cc, but were sometimes fitted with engines of up to 600cc for export) to keep taxes much lower than larger cars. The average person in Japan was now able to afford an automobile, which boosted sales dramatically and jumpstarted the auto industry toward becoming what it is today. The very first of this fresh era, actually launched in 1958, was the Subaru 360. It was known as the “Lady Beetle”, comparing its significance to the Volkswagen Beetle in Germany. Other significant models were the Suzuki Fronte, Mitsubishi Minica, Mazda Carol, and the Honda N360.
The keis were very minimalist motoring, however, much too puny for most family car usage. The most popular economy car segment in the sixties was the 700-800 cc class, embodied by the Toyota Publica, Mitsubishi Colt 800, and the original Mazda Familia. By the end of the sixties, however, these (often two-stroke) cars were being substituted by utter one-litre cars with four-stroke engines, a budge which was spearheaded by Nissan’s one thousand nine hundred sixty six Sunny. [14] All other manufacturers quickly followed suit, except for Toyota who tooled their Corolla with a 1.1 litre engine – the extra one hundred cc were strongly touted in period advertising. These petite family cars took a thicker and thicker share of an already expanding market. All vehicles sold in Japan were taxed yearly based on exterior dimensions and engine displacement. This was established by legislation passed in one thousand nine hundred fifty that established tax brackets on two classifications; dimension regulations and engine displacement. The taxes were a primary consideration as to which vehicles were selected by Japanese consumers, and guided manufacturers as to what type of vehicles the market would buy.
Export expansion Edit
Exports of passenger cars enlargened almost twohundred-fold in the sixties compared to the previous decade, and were now up to 17.0 percent of the total production. [12] This however, was still only the beginning. Rapidly enhancing domestic request and the expansion of Japanese car companies into foreign markets in the 1970s further accelerated growth. Effects of the one thousand nine hundred seventy three Arab Oil Embargo accelerated vehicle exports along with the exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the U.S. Dollar, UK Pound, and West German Deutsche Mark. Passenger car exports rose from 100,000 in one thousand nine hundred sixty five to 1,827,000 in 1975. Automobile production in Japan continued to increase rapidly after the 1970s, as Mitsubishi (as Dodge vehicles) and Honda began selling their vehicles in the US. Even more brands came to America and abroad during the 1970s, and by the 1980s, the Japanese manufacturers were gaining a major foothold in the US and world markets.
Japanese cars became popular with British buyers in the early 1970s, with Nissan’s Datsun badged cars (the Nissan brand was not used on British registered models until 1983) proving especially popular and earning a reputation in Britain for their reliability and low running costs, albeit rust was a major problem. In the 1960s Japanese manufacturers began to challenge head-on in the domestic market, model for model. This was exemplified by the “CB-war” inbetween the Toyota Corona and Nissan’s Bluebird. While this primarily led to benefits for consumers, before long R&D expenditures swelled. Towards the late 1980s and early 1990s Japanese automobile manufacturers had entered a stage of “Hyper-design” and “Hyper-equipment”; an arms race leading to less competitive products albeit produced in a very efficient manner. [15]
World leader Edit
With Japanese manufacturers producing very affordable, reliable, and popular cars across the 1990s, Japan became the largest car producing nation in the world in 2000. However, its market share has decreased slightly in latest years, particularly due to old and fresh competition from South Korea, China and India. Nevertheless, Japan’s car industry proceeds to flourish, its market share has risen again, and in the very first quarter of two thousand eight Toyota surpassed American General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer. [16] Today, Japan is the third largest automobile market and, until China recently overtook them, was the largest car producer in the world. Still, automobile export remains one of the country’s most profitable exports and is a cornerstone of recovery plan for the latest economic crisis. Even however Japan has been taken over by Mainland China as the world’s largest car producer, Japanese imports proceed to be widely used on streets and highways in the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
- 1907 – Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. established
- 1911 – Kaishinsha Motorcar Works established
- 1917 – Mitsubishi Motors’ 1st car
- 1917 – Nippon Internal Combustion Engine Co. Ltd. established (integrated into Nissan)
- 1918 – Isuzu’s 1st car
- 1920-1925 – Gorham/Lila – auto production established (merged into Datsun)
- 1924-1927 – Otomo built at the Hakuyosha Ironworks in Tokyo
- 1931 – Mazda Mazdago – by Toyo Kogyo corp, later Mazda
- 1934-1957 – Ohta starts auto production
- 1936 – Kurogane Type ninety five world’s very first four-wheel-drive car manufactured
- 1936 – Toyota’s 1st car (Toyota AA)
- 1952-1966 – Prince Motor Company (integrated into Nissan)
- 1953-1967 – Hino Motors starts auto production (merged into Toyota)
- 1954 – Subaru’s 1st car (Subaru P-1)
- 1955 – Suzuki’s 1st car (Suzulight)
- 1957 – Daihatsu’s 1st car (Daihatsu Midget)
- 1963 – Honda’s 1st production car (Honda S500)
- 1966 – One of the best selling cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is introduced; Nissan opens its very first North American manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico as Nissan Mexicana
- 1967 – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is founded
- 1967 – Mazda Cosmo 110S was one of the very first two mass-produced cars with Wankel rotary engine
- 1980 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing; Nissan USA violates ground for its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant
- 1981 – Voluntary Export Restraints from May limit exports to United States to 1.68 million cars per year; redundant by one thousand nine hundred ninety as production inwards US displaces direct exports; similar policies in several EU countries [17]
- 1982 – Honda Accord becomes the very first Japanese car built in the United States at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio manufacturing facility
- 1982 – Mitsuoka 1st car (BUBU shuttle 50)
- 1983 – Holden and Nissan form a joint venture in Australia; Nissan Sunny (Sentra) assembled at Nissan’s Smryna, Tennessee facility
- 1984 – Toyota opens NUMMI, the very first joint venture plant in the United States with General Motors
- 1986 – Acura is launched in the US by Honda
- 1988 – Daihatsu comes in the US making it the very first time all nine Japanese manufacturers are present; Toyota Camry becomes third Japanese car manufactured at Toyota’s Erlanger, Kentucky assembly plant
- 1989 – Lexus is launched in the US by Toyota
- 1989 – Infiniti is launched in the US by Nissan
- 1989 – United Australian Automobile Industries (UAAI) founded in Australia as a joint venture inbetween Toyota and Holden
- 1991 – Mazda HR-X was one of the very first hydrogen (combined with Wankel rotary) car
- 1994 – Japan conceded to the United States back in auto manufacturing
- 1996 – UAAI joint venture dissolved
- 1997 – Toyota Prius was the very first mass-produced hybrid car
- 2003 – Scion is launched by Toyota
- 2006 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing again
- 2008 – Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer
- 2009 – Japan was strike by China and became 2nd in auto manufacturing
- 2010 – 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls
- 2011 – Tohoku earthquake affects production.
The following are vehicle production volumes for Japanese vehicle manufacturers, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). [Legitimate]
Automotive industry in Japan
Automotive industry in Japan
The Japanese automotive industry is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japan rapidly enhanced from the 1970s to the 1990s (when it was oriented both for domestic use and worldwide export) and in the 1980s and 1990s, overtook the U.S. as the production leader with up to thirteen million cars per year manufactured and significant exports. After massive ramp-up by China in the 2000s and fluctuating U.S. output, Japan is now presently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2012. [1] Japanese investments helped grow the auto industry in many countries via the last few decades. [ citation needed ]
Japanese zaibatsu (business conglomerates) began building their very first automobiles in the middle to late 1910s. The companies went about this by either designing their own trucks (the market for passenger vehicles in Japan at the time was petite), or partnering with a European brand to produce and sell their cars in Japan under license. Such examples of this are Isuzu partnering with Wolseley Motors (UK), Nissan partnering with British automaker Austin, and the Mitsubishi Model A, which was based upon the Fiat Tipo Trio. The request for domestic trucks was greatly enhanced by the Japanese military buildup before World War II, causing many Japanese manufacturers to break out of their shells and design their own vehicles. In the 1970s Japan was the pioneer in robotics manufacturing of vehicles.
The country is home to a number of companies that produce cars, construction vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and engines. Japanese automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Mitsuoka.
Cars designed in Japan have won the European Car of the Year, International Car of the Year, and World Car of the Year awards many times. Japanese vehicles have had worldwide influence, and no longer have the stigma they had in the 1950s and 1960s when they very first emerged internationally.
Contents
Early years Edit
In 1904, Torao Yamaha produced the very first domestically manufactured bus, which was powered by a steam engine. In 1907, Komanosuke Uchiyama produced the Takuri, the very first entirely Japanese-made gasoline engine car. The Kunisue Automobile Works built the Kunisue in 1910, and the following year manufactured the Tokyo in cooperation with Tokyo Motor Vehicles Ltd. In 1911, Kaishinsha Motorcar Works was established and later began manufacturing a car called the DAT. In 1920, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Co., founded by William R. Gorham, began building the Gorham and later the Lila. The company merged with Kaishinsha in one thousand nine hundred twenty six to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. (later to evolve into Nissan Motors). From one thousand nine hundred twenty four to 1927, Hakuyosha Ironworks Ltd. built the Otomo. Toyota, a textile manufacturer, began building cars in 1936. [Two] Most early vehicles, however, were trucks produced under military subsidy. Isuzu, Yanmar and Daihatsu originally focused on diesel engine development.
Cars built in Japan before World War II tended to be based on European or American models. The one thousand nine hundred seventeen Mitsubishi Model A was based on the Fiat A3-3 design. (This model was considered to be the very first mass-produced car in Japan, with twenty two units produced.) In the 1930s, Nissan Motors’ cars were based on the Austin seven and Graham-Paige designs, while the Toyota AA model was based on the Chrysler Airflow. Ohta built cars in the 1930s based on Ford models, while Chiyoda built a car resembling a one thousand nine hundred thirty five Pontiac, and Sumida built a car similar to a LaSalle. [Three] [Four]
Automobile manufacture from Japanese companies was fighting, despite investment efforts by the Japanese Government. The one thousand nine hundred twenty three Good Kantō earthquake devastated most of Japan’s fledgling infrastructure and truck and construction equipment manufacturing benefited from recovery efforts. Yanase & Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヤナセ Yanase Kabushiki gaisha) was an importer of American-made cars to Japan and contributed to disaster recovery efforts by importing GMC trucks and construction equipment. By bringing in American products, Japanese manufacturers were able to examine the imported vehicles and develop their own products.
From one thousand nine hundred twenty five until the beginning of World War II, Ford and GM [Five] had factories in Japan, where they predominated the Japanese market. The Ford Motor Company of Japan was established in one thousand nine hundred twenty five and a production plant was set up in Yokohama. General Motors established operations in Osaka in 1927. Chrysler also came to Japan and set up Kyoritsu Motors. [6] Inbetween one thousand nine hundred twenty five and 1936, the United States Big Three automakers’ Japanese subsidiaries produced a total of 208,967 vehicles, compared to the domestic producers total of 12,127 vehicles. In 1936, the Japanese government passed the Automobile Manufacturing Industry Law, which was intended to promote the domestic auto industry and reduce foreign competition; [7] ironically, this stopped the groundbreaking of an integrated Ford plant in Yokohama, modeled on Dagenham in England and intended to serve the Asian market, that would have established Japan as a major exporter [ citation needed ] . Instead by 1939, the foreign manufacturers had been compelled out of Japan. Vehicle production was shifted in the late 1930s to truck production due to the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. [8] [9] [Ten]
During World War II, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu and Kurogane built trucks and motorcycles for the Imperial Japanese Army, with Kurogane introducing the worlds very first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car, called the Kurogane Type ninety five in 1936. For the very first decade after World War II, auto production was limited, and until one thousand nine hundred sixty six most production consisted of trucks (including three-wheeled vehicles). Thereafter passenger cars predominated the market. Japanese car designs also continued to imitate or be derived from European and American designs. [11] Exports were very limited in the 1950s, adding up to only Three.1% of the total passenger car production of the decade. [12]
1960s to today Edit
During the 1960s, Japanese automakers launched a bevy of fresh kei cars in their domestic market; scooters and motorcycles remained superior, with sales of 1.47 million in one thousand nine hundred sixty versus a mere 36,000 kei cars. [13] These lil’ automobiles usually featured very puny engines (under 360cc, but were sometimes fitted with engines of up to 600cc for export) to keep taxes much lower than larger cars. The average person in Japan was now able to afford an automobile, which boosted sales dramatically and jumpstarted the auto industry toward becoming what it is today. The very first of this fresh era, actually launched in 1958, was the Subaru 360. It was known as the “Lady Beetle”, comparing its significance to the Volkswagen Beetle in Germany. Other significant models were the Suzuki Fronte, Mitsubishi Minica, Mazda Carol, and the Honda N360.
The keis were very minimalist motoring, however, much too petite for most family car usage. The most popular economy car segment in the sixties was the 700-800 cc class, embodied by the Toyota Publica, Mitsubishi Colt 800, and the original Mazda Familia. By the end of the sixties, however, these (often two-stroke) cars were being substituted by utter one-litre cars with four-stroke engines, a budge which was spearheaded by Nissan’s one thousand nine hundred sixty six Sunny. [14] All other manufacturers quickly followed suit, except for Toyota who tooled their Corolla with a 1.1 litre engine – the extra one hundred cc were powerfully touted in period advertising. These puny family cars took a thicker and thicker share of an already expanding market. All vehicles sold in Japan were taxed yearly based on exterior dimensions and engine displacement. This was established by legislation passed in one thousand nine hundred fifty that established tax brackets on two classifications; dimension regulations and engine displacement. The taxes were a primary consideration as to which vehicles were selected by Japanese consumers, and guided manufacturers as to what type of vehicles the market would buy.
Export expansion Edit
Exports of passenger cars enhanced almost twohundred-fold in the sixties compared to the previous decade, and were now up to 17.0 percent of the total production. [12] This however, was still only the beginning. Rapidly enlargening domestic request and the expansion of Japanese car companies into foreign markets in the 1970s further accelerated growth. Effects of the one thousand nine hundred seventy three Arab Oil Embargo accelerated vehicle exports along with the exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the U.S. Dollar, UK Pound, and West German Deutsche Mark. Passenger car exports rose from 100,000 in one thousand nine hundred sixty five to 1,827,000 in 1975. Automobile production in Japan continued to increase rapidly after the 1970s, as Mitsubishi (as Dodge vehicles) and Honda began selling their vehicles in the US. Even more brands came to America and abroad during the 1970s, and by the 1980s, the Japanese manufacturers were gaining a major foothold in the US and world markets.
Japanese cars became popular with British buyers in the early 1970s, with Nissan’s Datsun badged cars (the Nissan brand was not used on British registered models until 1983) proving especially popular and earning a reputation in Britain for their reliability and low running costs, albeit rust was a major problem. In the 1960s Japanese manufacturers began to contest head-on in the domestic market, model for model. This was exemplified by the “CB-war” inbetween the Toyota Corona and Nissan’s Bluebird. While this originally led to benefits for consumers, before long R&D expenditures swelled. Towards the late 1980s and early 1990s Japanese automobile manufacturers had entered a stage of “Hyper-design” and “Hyper-equipment”; an arms race leading to less competitive products albeit produced in a very efficient manner. [15]
World leader Edit
With Japanese manufacturers producing very affordable, reliable, and popular cars via the 1990s, Japan became the largest car producing nation in the world in 2000. However, its market share has decreased slightly in latest years, particularly due to old and fresh competition from South Korea, China and India. Nevertheless, Japan’s car industry proceeds to flourish, its market share has risen again, and in the very first quarter of two thousand eight Toyota surpassed American General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer. [16] Today, Japan is the third largest automobile market and, until China recently overtook them, was the largest car producer in the world. Still, automobile export remains one of the country’s most profitable exports and is a cornerstone of recovery plan for the latest economic crisis. Even however Japan has been taken over by Mainland China as the world’s largest car producer, Japanese imports proceed to be widely used on streets and highways in the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
- 1907 – Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. established
- 1911 – Kaishinsha Motorcar Works established
- 1917 – Mitsubishi Motors’ 1st car
- 1917 – Nippon Internal Combustion Engine Co. Ltd. established (integrated into Nissan)
- 1918 – Isuzu’s 1st car
- 1920-1925 – Gorham/Lila – auto production established (merged into Datsun)
- 1924-1927 – Otomo built at the Hakuyosha Ironworks in Tokyo
- 1931 – Mazda Mazdago – by Toyo Kogyo corp, later Mazda
- 1934-1957 – Ohta commences auto production
- 1936 – Kurogane Type ninety five world’s very first four-wheel-drive car manufactured
- 1936 – Toyota’s 1st car (Toyota AA)
- 1952-1966 – Prince Motor Company (integrated into Nissan)
- 1953-1967 – Hino Motors starts auto production (merged into Toyota)
- 1954 – Subaru’s 1st car (Subaru P-1)
- 1955 – Suzuki’s 1st car (Suzulight)
- 1957 – Daihatsu’s 1st car (Daihatsu Midget)
- 1963 – Honda’s 1st production car (Honda S500)
- 1966 – One of the best selling cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is introduced; Nissan opens its very first North American manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico as Nissan Mexicana
- 1967 – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is founded
- 1967 – Mazda Cosmo 110S was one of the very first two mass-produced cars with Wankel rotary engine
- 1980 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing; Nissan USA cracks ground for its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant
- 1981 – Voluntary Export Restraints from May limit exports to United States to 1.68 million cars per year; redundant by one thousand nine hundred ninety as production inwards US displaces direct exports; similar policies in several EU countries [17]
- 1982 – Honda Accord becomes the very first Japanese car built in the United States at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio manufacturing facility
- 1982 – Mitsuoka 1st car (BUBU shuttle 50)
- 1983 – Holden and Nissan form a joint venture in Australia; Nissan Sunny (Sentra) assembled at Nissan’s Smryna, Tennessee facility
- 1984 – Toyota opens NUMMI, the very first joint venture plant in the United States with General Motors
- 1986 – Acura is launched in the US by Honda
- 1988 – Daihatsu comes in the US making it the very first time all nine Japanese manufacturers are present; Toyota Camry becomes third Japanese car manufactured at Toyota’s Erlanger, Kentucky assembly plant
- 1989 – Lexus is launched in the US by Toyota
- 1989 – Infiniti is launched in the US by Nissan
- 1989 – United Australian Automobile Industries (UAAI) founded in Australia as a joint venture inbetween Toyota and Holden
- 1991 – Mazda HR-X was one of the very first hydrogen (combined with Wankel rotary) car
- 1994 – Japan conceded to the United States back in auto manufacturing
- 1996 – UAAI joint venture dissolved
- 1997 – Toyota Prius was the very first mass-produced hybrid car
- 2003 – Scion is launched by Toyota
- 2006 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing again
- 2008 – Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer
- 2009 – Japan was hammer by China and became 2nd in auto manufacturing
- 2010 – 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls
- 2011 – Tohoku earthquake affects production.
The following are vehicle production volumes for Japanese vehicle manufacturers, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). [Legal]
Automotive industry in Japan
Automotive industry in Japan
The Japanese automotive industry is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japan rapidly enhanced from the 1970s to the 1990s (when it was oriented both for domestic use and worldwide export) and in the 1980s and 1990s, overtook the U.S. as the production leader with up to thirteen million cars per year manufactured and significant exports. After massive ramp-up by China in the 2000s and fluctuating U.S. output, Japan is now presently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2012. [1] Japanese investments helped grow the auto industry in many countries via the last few decades. [ citation needed ]
Japanese zaibatsu (business conglomerates) began building their very first automobiles in the middle to late 1910s. The companies went about this by either designing their own trucks (the market for passenger vehicles in Japan at the time was petite), or partnering with a European brand to produce and sell their cars in Japan under license. Such examples of this are Isuzu partnering with Wolseley Motors (UK), Nissan partnering with British automaker Austin, and the Mitsubishi Model A, which was based upon the Fiat Tipo Three. The request for domestic trucks was greatly enhanced by the Japanese military buildup before World War II, causing many Japanese manufacturers to break out of their shells and design their own vehicles. In the 1970s Japan was the pioneer in robotics manufacturing of vehicles.
The country is home to a number of companies that produce cars, construction vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and engines. Japanese automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Mitsuoka.
Cars designed in Japan have won the European Car of the Year, International Car of the Year, and World Car of the Year awards many times. Japanese vehicles have had worldwide influence, and no longer have the stigma they had in the 1950s and 1960s when they very first emerged internationally.
Contents
Early years Edit
In 1904, Torao Yamaha produced the very first domestically manufactured bus, which was powered by a steam engine. In 1907, Komanosuke Uchiyama produced the Takuri, the very first entirely Japanese-made gasoline engine car. The Kunisue Automobile Works built the Kunisue in 1910, and the following year manufactured the Tokyo in cooperation with Tokyo Motor Vehicles Ltd. In 1911, Kaishinsha Motorcar Works was established and later began manufacturing a car called the DAT. In 1920, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Co., founded by William R. Gorham, began building the Gorham and later the Lila. The company merged with Kaishinsha in one thousand nine hundred twenty six to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. (later to evolve into Nissan Motors). From one thousand nine hundred twenty four to 1927, Hakuyosha Ironworks Ltd. built the Otomo. Toyota, a textile manufacturer, began building cars in 1936. [Two] Most early vehicles, however, were trucks produced under military subsidy. Isuzu, Yanmar and Daihatsu primarily focused on diesel engine development.
Cars built in Japan before World War II tended to be based on European or American models. The one thousand nine hundred seventeen Mitsubishi Model A was based on the Fiat A3-3 design. (This model was considered to be the very first mass-produced car in Japan, with twenty two units produced.) In the 1930s, Nissan Motors’ cars were based on the Austin seven and Graham-Paige designs, while the Toyota AA model was based on the Chrysler Airflow. Ohta built cars in the 1930s based on Ford models, while Chiyoda built a car resembling a one thousand nine hundred thirty five Pontiac, and Sumida built a car similar to a LaSalle. [Trio] [Four]
Automobile manufacture from Japanese companies was fighting, despite investment efforts by the Japanese Government. The one thousand nine hundred twenty three Fine Kantō earthquake devastated most of Japan’s fledgling infrastructure and truck and construction equipment manufacturing benefited from recovery efforts. Yanase & Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヤナセ Yanase Kabushiki gaisha) was an importer of American-made cars to Japan and contributed to disaster recovery efforts by importing GMC trucks and construction equipment. By bringing in American products, Japanese manufacturers were able to examine the imported vehicles and develop their own products.
From one thousand nine hundred twenty five until the beginning of World War II, Ford and GM [Five] had factories in Japan, where they predominated the Japanese market. The Ford Motor Company of Japan was established in one thousand nine hundred twenty five and a production plant was set up in Yokohama. General Motors established operations in Osaka in 1927. Chrysler also came to Japan and set up Kyoritsu Motors. [6] Inbetween one thousand nine hundred twenty five and 1936, the United States Big Three automakers’ Japanese subsidiaries produced a total of 208,967 vehicles, compared to the domestic producers total of 12,127 vehicles. In 1936, the Japanese government passed the Automobile Manufacturing Industry Law, which was intended to promote the domestic auto industry and reduce foreign competition; [7] ironically, this stopped the groundbreaking of an integrated Ford plant in Yokohama, modeled on Dagenham in England and intended to serve the Asian market, that would have established Japan as a major exporter [ citation needed ] . Instead by 1939, the foreign manufacturers had been compelled out of Japan. Vehicle production was shifted in the late 1930s to truck production due to the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. [8] [9] [Ten]
During World War II, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu and Kurogane built trucks and motorcycles for the Imperial Japanese Army, with Kurogane introducing the worlds very first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car, called the Kurogane Type ninety five in 1936. For the very first decade after World War II, auto production was limited, and until one thousand nine hundred sixty six most production consisted of trucks (including three-wheeled vehicles). Thereafter passenger cars predominated the market. Japanese car designs also continued to imitate or be derived from European and American designs. [11] Exports were very limited in the 1950s, adding up to only Trio.1% of the total passenger car production of the decade. [12]
1960s to today Edit
During the 1960s, Japanese automakers launched a bevy of fresh kei cars in their domestic market; scooters and motorcycles remained superior, with sales of 1.47 million in one thousand nine hundred sixty versus a mere 36,000 kei cars. [13] These little automobiles usually featured very puny engines (under 360cc, but were sometimes fitted with engines of up to 600cc for export) to keep taxes much lower than larger cars. The average person in Japan was now able to afford an automobile, which boosted sales dramatically and jumpstarted the auto industry toward becoming what it is today. The very first of this fresh era, actually launched in 1958, was the Subaru 360. It was known as the “Lady Beetle”, comparing its significance to the Volkswagen Beetle in Germany. Other significant models were the Suzuki Fronte, Mitsubishi Minica, Mazda Carol, and the Honda N360.
The keis were very minimalist motoring, however, much too petite for most family car usage. The most popular economy car segment in the sixties was the 700-800 cc class, embodied by the Toyota Publica, Mitsubishi Colt 800, and the original Mazda Familia. By the end of the sixties, however, these (often two-stroke) cars were being substituted by utter one-litre cars with four-stroke engines, a budge which was spearheaded by Nissan’s one thousand nine hundred sixty six Sunny. [14] All other manufacturers quickly followed suit, except for Toyota who tooled their Corolla with a 1.1 litre engine – the extra one hundred cc were strongly touted in period advertising. These petite family cars took a thicker and thicker share of an already expanding market. All vehicles sold in Japan were taxed yearly based on exterior dimensions and engine displacement. This was established by legislation passed in one thousand nine hundred fifty that established tax brackets on two classifications; dimension regulations and engine displacement. The taxes were a primary consideration as to which vehicles were selected by Japanese consumers, and guided manufacturers as to what type of vehicles the market would buy.
Export expansion Edit
Exports of passenger cars enlargened almost twohundred-fold in the sixties compared to the previous decade, and were now up to 17.0 percent of the total production. [12] This however, was still only the beginning. Rapidly enhancing domestic request and the expansion of Japanese car companies into foreign markets in the 1970s further accelerated growth. Effects of the one thousand nine hundred seventy three Arab Oil Embargo accelerated vehicle exports along with the exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the U.S. Dollar, UK Pound, and West German Deutsche Mark. Passenger car exports rose from 100,000 in one thousand nine hundred sixty five to 1,827,000 in 1975. Automobile production in Japan continued to increase rapidly after the 1970s, as Mitsubishi (as Dodge vehicles) and Honda began selling their vehicles in the US. Even more brands came to America and abroad during the 1970s, and by the 1980s, the Japanese manufacturers were gaining a major foothold in the US and world markets.
Japanese cars became popular with British buyers in the early 1970s, with Nissan’s Datsun badged cars (the Nissan brand was not used on British registered models until 1983) proving especially popular and earning a reputation in Britain for their reliability and low running costs, albeit rust was a major problem. In the 1960s Japanese manufacturers began to rival head-on in the domestic market, model for model. This was exemplified by the “CB-war” inbetween the Toyota Corona and Nissan’s Bluebird. While this primarily led to benefits for consumers, before long R&D expenditures swelled. Towards the late 1980s and early 1990s Japanese automobile manufacturers had entered a stage of “Hyper-design” and “Hyper-equipment”; an arms race leading to less competitive products albeit produced in a very efficient manner. [15]
World leader Edit
With Japanese manufacturers producing very affordable, reliable, and popular cars via the 1990s, Japan became the largest car producing nation in the world in 2000. However, its market share has decreased slightly in latest years, particularly due to old and fresh competition from South Korea, China and India. Nevertheless, Japan’s car industry proceeds to flourish, its market share has risen again, and in the very first quarter of two thousand eight Toyota surpassed American General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer. [16] Today, Japan is the third largest automobile market and, until China recently overtook them, was the largest car producer in the world. Still, automobile export remains one of the country’s most profitable exports and is a cornerstone of recovery plan for the latest economic crisis. Even tho’ Japan has been taken over by Mainland China as the world’s largest car producer, Japanese imports proceed to be widely used on streets and highways in the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
- 1907 – Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. established
- 1911 – Kaishinsha Motorcar Works established
- 1917 – Mitsubishi Motors’ 1st car
- 1917 – Nippon Internal Combustion Engine Co. Ltd. established (integrated into Nissan)
- 1918 – Isuzu’s 1st car
- 1920-1925 – Gorham/Lila – auto production established (merged into Datsun)
- 1924-1927 – Otomo built at the Hakuyosha Ironworks in Tokyo
- 1931 – Mazda Mazdago – by Toyo Kogyo corp, later Mazda
- 1934-1957 – Ohta embarks auto production
- 1936 – Kurogane Type ninety five world’s very first four-wheel-drive car manufactured
- 1936 – Toyota’s 1st car (Toyota AA)
- 1952-1966 – Prince Motor Company (integrated into Nissan)
- 1953-1967 – Hino Motors starts auto production (merged into Toyota)
- 1954 – Subaru’s 1st car (Subaru P-1)
- 1955 – Suzuki’s 1st car (Suzulight)
- 1957 – Daihatsu’s 1st car (Daihatsu Midget)
- 1963 – Honda’s 1st production car (Honda S500)
- 1966 – One of the best selling cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is introduced; Nissan opens its very first North American manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico as Nissan Mexicana
- 1967 – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is founded
- 1967 – Mazda Cosmo 110S was one of the very first two mass-produced cars with Wankel rotary engine
- 1980 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing; Nissan USA violates ground for its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant
- 1981 – Voluntary Export Restraints from May limit exports to United States to 1.68 million cars per year; redundant by one thousand nine hundred ninety as production inwards US displaces direct exports; similar policies in several EU countries [17]
- 1982 – Honda Accord becomes the very first Japanese car built in the United States at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio manufacturing facility
- 1982 – Mitsuoka 1st car (BUBU shuttle 50)
- 1983 – Holden and Nissan form a joint venture in Australia; Nissan Sunny (Sentra) assembled at Nissan’s Smryna, Tennessee facility
- 1984 – Toyota opens NUMMI, the very first joint venture plant in the United States with General Motors
- 1986 – Acura is launched in the US by Honda
- 1988 – Daihatsu comes in the US making it the very first time all nine Japanese manufacturers are present; Toyota Camry becomes third Japanese car manufactured at Toyota’s Erlanger, Kentucky assembly plant
- 1989 – Lexus is launched in the US by Toyota
- 1989 – Infiniti is launched in the US by Nissan
- 1989 – United Australian Automobile Industries (UAAI) founded in Australia as a joint venture inbetween Toyota and Holden
- 1991 – Mazda HR-X was one of the very first hydrogen (combined with Wankel rotary) car
- 1994 – Japan conceded to the United States back in auto manufacturing
- 1996 – UAAI joint venture dissolved
- 1997 – Toyota Prius was the very first mass-produced hybrid car
- 2003 – Scion is launched by Toyota
- 2006 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing again
- 2008 – Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer
- 2009 – Japan was hammer by China and became 2nd in auto manufacturing
- 2010 – 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls
- 2011 – Tohoku earthquake affects production.
The following are vehicle production volumes for Japanese vehicle manufacturers, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). [Eighteen]
Automotive industry in Japan
Automotive industry in Japan
The Japanese automotive industry is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japan rapidly enhanced from the 1970s to the 1990s (when it was oriented both for domestic use and worldwide export) and in the 1980s and 1990s, overtook the U.S. as the production leader with up to thirteen million cars per year manufactured and significant exports. After massive ramp-up by China in the 2000s and fluctuating U.S. output, Japan is now presently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2012. [1] Japanese investments helped grow the auto industry in many countries via the last few decades. [ citation needed ]
Japanese zaibatsu (business conglomerates) began building their very first automobiles in the middle to late 1910s. The companies went about this by either designing their own trucks (the market for passenger vehicles in Japan at the time was petite), or partnering with a European brand to produce and sell their cars in Japan under license. Such examples of this are Isuzu partnering with Wolseley Motors (UK), Nissan partnering with British automaker Austin, and the Mitsubishi Model A, which was based upon the Fiat Tipo Trio. The request for domestic trucks was greatly enhanced by the Japanese military buildup before World War II, causing many Japanese manufacturers to break out of their shells and design their own vehicles. In the 1970s Japan was the pioneer in robotics manufacturing of vehicles.
The country is home to a number of companies that produce cars, construction vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, and engines. Japanese automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Mitsuoka.
Cars designed in Japan have won the European Car of the Year, International Car of the Year, and World Car of the Year awards many times. Japanese vehicles have had worldwide influence, and no longer have the stigma they had in the 1950s and 1960s when they very first emerged internationally.
Contents
Early years Edit
In 1904, Torao Yamaha produced the very first domestically manufactured bus, which was powered by a steam engine. In 1907, Komanosuke Uchiyama produced the Takuri, the very first entirely Japanese-made gasoline engine car. The Kunisue Automobile Works built the Kunisue in 1910, and the following year manufactured the Tokyo in cooperation with Tokyo Motor Vehicles Ltd. In 1911, Kaishinsha Motorcar Works was established and later began manufacturing a car called the DAT. In 1920, Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Co., founded by William R. Gorham, began building the Gorham and later the Lila. The company merged with Kaishinsha in one thousand nine hundred twenty six to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. (later to evolve into Nissan Motors). From one thousand nine hundred twenty four to 1927, Hakuyosha Ironworks Ltd. built the Otomo. Toyota, a textile manufacturer, began building cars in 1936. [Two] Most early vehicles, however, were trucks produced under military subsidy. Isuzu, Yanmar and Daihatsu primarily focused on diesel engine development.
Cars built in Japan before World War II tended to be based on European or American models. The one thousand nine hundred seventeen Mitsubishi Model A was based on the Fiat A3-3 design. (This model was considered to be the very first mass-produced car in Japan, with twenty two units produced.) In the 1930s, Nissan Motors’ cars were based on the Austin seven and Graham-Paige designs, while the Toyota AA model was based on the Chrysler Airflow. Ohta built cars in the 1930s based on Ford models, while Chiyoda built a car resembling a one thousand nine hundred thirty five Pontiac, and Sumida built a car similar to a LaSalle. [Three] [Four]
Automobile manufacture from Japanese companies was fighting, despite investment efforts by the Japanese Government. The one thousand nine hundred twenty three Fine Kantō earthquake devastated most of Japan’s fledgling infrastructure and truck and construction equipment manufacturing benefited from recovery efforts. Yanase & Co., Ltd. (株式会社ヤナセ Yanase Kabushiki gaisha) was an importer of American-made cars to Japan and contributed to disaster recovery efforts by importing GMC trucks and construction equipment. By bringing in American products, Japanese manufacturers were able to examine the imported vehicles and develop their own products.
From one thousand nine hundred twenty five until the beginning of World War II, Ford and GM [Five] had factories in Japan, where they predominated the Japanese market. The Ford Motor Company of Japan was established in one thousand nine hundred twenty five and a production plant was set up in Yokohama. General Motors established operations in Osaka in 1927. Chrysler also came to Japan and set up Kyoritsu Motors. [6] Inbetween one thousand nine hundred twenty five and 1936, the United States Big Three automakers’ Japanese subsidiaries produced a total of 208,967 vehicles, compared to the domestic producers total of 12,127 vehicles. In 1936, the Japanese government passed the Automobile Manufacturing Industry Law, which was intended to promote the domestic auto industry and reduce foreign competition; [7] ironically, this stopped the groundbreaking of an integrated Ford plant in Yokohama, modeled on Dagenham in England and intended to serve the Asian market, that would have established Japan as a major exporter [ citation needed ] . Instead by 1939, the foreign manufacturers had been compelled out of Japan. Vehicle production was shifted in the late 1930s to truck production due to the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. [8] [9] [Ten]
During World War II, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu and Kurogane built trucks and motorcycles for the Imperial Japanese Army, with Kurogane introducing the worlds very first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car, called the Kurogane Type ninety five in 1936. For the very first decade after World War II, auto production was limited, and until one thousand nine hundred sixty six most production consisted of trucks (including three-wheeled vehicles). Thereafter passenger cars predominated the market. Japanese car designs also continued to imitate or be derived from European and American designs. [11] Exports were very limited in the 1950s, adding up to only Trio.1% of the total passenger car production of the decade. [12]
1960s to today Edit
During the 1960s, Japanese automakers launched a bevy of fresh kei cars in their domestic market; scooters and motorcycles remained superior, with sales of 1.47 million in one thousand nine hundred sixty versus a mere 36,000 kei cars. [13] These lil’ automobiles usually featured very puny engines (under 360cc, but were sometimes fitted with engines of up to 600cc for export) to keep taxes much lower than larger cars. The average person in Japan was now able to afford an automobile, which boosted sales dramatically and jumpstarted the auto industry toward becoming what it is today. The very first of this fresh era, actually launched in 1958, was the Subaru 360. It was known as the “Lady Beetle”, comparing its significance to the Volkswagen Beetle in Germany. Other significant models were the Suzuki Fronte, Mitsubishi Minica, Mazda Carol, and the Honda N360.
The keis were very minimalist motoring, however, much too puny for most family car usage. The most popular economy car segment in the sixties was the 700-800 cc class, embodied by the Toyota Publica, Mitsubishi Colt 800, and the original Mazda Familia. By the end of the sixties, however, these (often two-stroke) cars were being substituted by total one-litre cars with four-stroke engines, a budge which was spearheaded by Nissan’s one thousand nine hundred sixty six Sunny. [14] All other manufacturers quickly followed suit, except for Toyota who tooled their Corolla with a 1.1 litre engine – the extra one hundred cc were strenuously touted in period advertising. These petite family cars took a thicker and fatter share of an already expanding market. All vehicles sold in Japan were taxed yearly based on exterior dimensions and engine displacement. This was established by legislation passed in one thousand nine hundred fifty that established tax brackets on two classifications; dimension regulations and engine displacement. The taxes were a primary consideration as to which vehicles were selected by Japanese consumers, and guided manufacturers as to what type of vehicles the market would buy.
Export expansion Edit
Exports of passenger cars enhanced almost twohundred-fold in the sixties compared to the previous decade, and were now up to 17.0 percent of the total production. [12] This however, was still only the beginning. Rapidly enlargening domestic request and the expansion of Japanese car companies into foreign markets in the 1970s further accelerated growth. Effects of the one thousand nine hundred seventy three Arab Oil Embargo accelerated vehicle exports along with the exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the U.S. Dollar, UK Pound, and West German Deutsche Mark. Passenger car exports rose from 100,000 in one thousand nine hundred sixty five to 1,827,000 in 1975. Automobile production in Japan continued to increase rapidly after the 1970s, as Mitsubishi (as Dodge vehicles) and Honda began selling their vehicles in the US. Even more brands came to America and abroad during the 1970s, and by the 1980s, the Japanese manufacturers were gaining a major foothold in the US and world markets.
Japanese cars became popular with British buyers in the early 1970s, with Nissan’s Datsun badged cars (the Nissan brand was not used on British registered models until 1983) proving especially popular and earning a reputation in Britain for their reliability and low running costs, albeit rust was a major problem. In the 1960s Japanese manufacturers began to rival head-on in the domestic market, model for model. This was exemplified by the “CB-war” inbetween the Toyota Corona and Nissan’s Bluebird. While this originally led to benefits for consumers, before long R&D expenditures swelled. Towards the late 1980s and early 1990s Japanese automobile manufacturers had entered a stage of “Hyper-design” and “Hyper-equipment”; an arms race leading to less competitive products albeit produced in a very efficient manner. [15]
World leader Edit
With Japanese manufacturers producing very affordable, reliable, and popular cars across the 1990s, Japan became the largest car producing nation in the world in 2000. However, its market share has decreased slightly in latest years, particularly due to old and fresh competition from South Korea, China and India. Nevertheless, Japan’s car industry proceeds to flourish, its market share has risen again, and in the very first quarter of two thousand eight Toyota surpassed American General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer. [16] Today, Japan is the third largest automobile market and, until China recently overtook them, was the largest car producer in the world. Still, automobile export remains one of the country’s most profitable exports and is a cornerstone of recovery plan for the latest economic crisis. Even tho’ Japan has been taken over by Mainland China as the world’s largest car producer, Japanese imports proceed to be widely used on streets and highways in the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
- 1907 – Hatsudoki Seizo Co., Ltd. established
- 1911 – Kaishinsha Motorcar Works established
- 1917 – Mitsubishi Motors’ 1st car
- 1917 – Nippon Internal Combustion Engine Co. Ltd. established (integrated into Nissan)
- 1918 – Isuzu’s 1st car
- 1920-1925 – Gorham/Lila – auto production established (merged into Datsun)
- 1924-1927 – Otomo built at the Hakuyosha Ironworks in Tokyo
- 1931 – Mazda Mazdago – by Toyo Kogyo corp, later Mazda
- 1934-1957 – Ohta starts auto production
- 1936 – Kurogane Type ninety five world’s very first four-wheel-drive car manufactured
- 1936 – Toyota’s 1st car (Toyota AA)
- 1952-1966 – Prince Motor Company (integrated into Nissan)
- 1953-1967 – Hino Motors starts auto production (merged into Toyota)
- 1954 – Subaru’s 1st car (Subaru P-1)
- 1955 – Suzuki’s 1st car (Suzulight)
- 1957 – Daihatsu’s 1st car (Daihatsu Midget)
- 1963 – Honda’s 1st production car (Honda S500)
- 1966 – One of the best selling cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is introduced; Nissan opens its very first North American manufacturing facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico as Nissan Mexicana
- 1967 – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is founded
- 1967 – Mazda Cosmo 110S was one of the very first two mass-produced cars with Wankel rotary engine
- 1980 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing; Nissan USA violates ground for its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant
- 1981 – Voluntary Export Restraints from May limit exports to United States to 1.68 million cars per year; redundant by one thousand nine hundred ninety as production inwards US displaces direct exports; similar policies in several EU countries [17]
- 1982 – Honda Accord becomes the very first Japanese car built in the United States at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio manufacturing facility
- 1982 – Mitsuoka 1st car (BUBU shuttle 50)
- 1983 – Holden and Nissan form a joint venture in Australia; Nissan Sunny (Sentra) assembled at Nissan’s Smryna, Tennessee facility
- 1984 – Toyota opens NUMMI, the very first joint venture plant in the United States with General Motors
- 1986 – Acura is launched in the US by Honda
- 1988 – Daihatsu comes in the US making it the very first time all nine Japanese manufacturers are present; Toyota Camry becomes third Japanese car manufactured at Toyota’s Erlanger, Kentucky assembly plant
- 1989 – Lexus is launched in the US by Toyota
- 1989 – Infiniti is launched in the US by Nissan
- 1989 – United Australian Automobile Industries (UAAI) founded in Australia as a joint venture inbetween Toyota and Holden
- 1991 – Mazda HR-X was one of the very first hydrogen (combined with Wankel rotary) car
- 1994 – Japan conceded to the United States back in auto manufacturing
- 1996 – UAAI joint venture dissolved
- 1997 – Toyota Prius was the very first mass-produced hybrid car
- 2003 – Scion is launched by Toyota
- 2006 – Japan surpassed the United States and became very first in auto manufacturing again
- 2008 – Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer
- 2009 – Japan was hammer by China and became 2nd in auto manufacturing
- 2010 – 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls
- 2011 – Tohoku earthquake affects production.
The following are vehicle production volumes for Japanese vehicle manufacturers, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). [Eighteen]