Japan: The empire of the automotive industry

If you have a car it has a good chance of being a Japanese brand. Japan is one of the largest automobile producer in the world. Their brands are the most respected and valued everywhere.

Although several countries already have their national brands, the preference ends up being Japanese brands. The history of the automotive industry in Japan is old and has earned the position it has today.

Let's see how it started automotive industry in japan and where she is today despite the huge financial problems facing the world due to the pandemic. 

Timeline of cars in japan

The automotive industry in Japan has been among the top three in the world since the year 1960. But it started in the year 1904.

1904 - Torao Yamaha produced the first domestically produced bus, the engine ran on steam.

1907 - Komanosuke Uchiyama produced the Takuri, the first all-Japanese gasoline-engined car.

1910 - Kunisue built its first car and the following year made the Tokyo model in cooperation with Tokyo Motor.

1911 - Kwaishinsha was founded and later started to manufacture a car called DAT.

1917 - The 1917 Mitsubishi Model A was based on Fiat's A3-3 design. This model was considered the first mass-produced car in Japan, with 22 units produced.

1920 - Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo, founded by William R. Gorham, began building the Gorham model and later the Lila.

1925 - Ford of Japan was founded and a factory was set up in Yokohama.

Japan: the empire of the automotive industry

1926 - Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo merged with Kwaishinsha to form DAT Automobile Manufacturing, which today became Nissan.

1927 - General Motors established its operations in Osaka. Chrysler went to Japan and also set up Kyoritsu Motors.

De 1924 to 1927 Hakuyosha built the Otomo model.

30's - Nissan's cars were based on the Austin 7 and Graham-Paige designs, while the Toyota AA model was based on the Chrysler Airflow. Ohta Jidosha built cars based on Ford models, while Chiyoda built a 1935 Pontiac-like car and Sumida built a LaSalle-like car.

1936 - Toyota started building cars. Most of the vehicles were military trucks.

From 1925 and 1936, the Japanese subsidiaries of the three major US automakers (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) produced a total of 208,967 vehicles.

Japan: the empire of the automotive industry
10 Japanese cars that were successful

That same year, the Japanese government passed the Automobile Manufacturing Industry Act, which was intended to promote the domestic automotive industry and reduce foreign competition.

1939 - Foreign manufacturers were forced out of Japan.

           Vehicle production shifted to truck production in the late 1930s due to the Second Sino-Japanese War.

1958 – A new moment for the industry begins in Japan. The first model to be launched was the Subaru 360. Other important models were the Suzuki Fronte, Mitsubishi Minica, Mazda Carol and Honda N360.

60's - After World War II automotive production was limited, and until 1966 most production consisted of trucks.

Japanese manufacturers have released a number of new kei cars (keijidōsha) mini-sized models in the domestic market. Scooters and motorcycles sold 1.47 million while kei cars sold 36,000.

Japanese manufacturers began to compete in the domestic market.

1966 – The best-selling car of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is released.

The 70's - Passenger car exports have increased considerably compared to previous decades.

Mitsubishi represented by Dodge and Honda starting to sell their vehicles in the United States.

1975 - Passenger car exports rose from 100,000 in 1965 to 1,827,000.

1980 - Japanese manufacturers were gaining a large share of US and world markets.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Japanese automakers entered a phase of “hyperdesign” and “hyper-equipment”; a race leading to products that are less competitive but produced in a highly efficient manner.

2000 - Japan becomes the largest car producer in the world.

2008 - The automotive industry has taken a leap.

2009 - Japan goes to second place in number of productions behind China.

2011 - Car production is affected because of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

The 6 most popular car brands in Japan

Toyota

One of the biggest brands in the world and one of the oldest. The brand has Luxus as a division, which is a segment focused on luxury cars.

Japan: the empire of the automotive industry

Nissan

It is a very popular brand and its headquarters are in Yokohama. Its line of luxury automobiles is the “Infiniti'.

Subaru

It was one of the first brands to bring innovation to the automotive industry. Its headquarters are in Eisu, Tokyo.

Mitsubishi

Its headquarters are in Minato, Tokyo. This brand has divisions in shipbuilding, finance, electronics, oil, gas and many others.

Honda 

One of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world and also one of the largest producers of internal combustion engines. The brand sponsors Formula 1.

Mazda

Its headquarters are in Fuchu, Hiroshima. It is a very popular car manufacturer. Responsible for Japan being a world leader in the sector.

Japan: the empire of the automotive industry

Car anime: Speed Racer

Speed Racer also known as Mach Go Go Go (マッハ). The anime is from 1960 and sought to portray everything Japan already had in automotive technology as things that could still come up. 

The anime is about car racing. And the protagonist is an 18-year-old who drives the Mach 5 car, created by his father.

Japan: the empire of the automotive industry

The main character's car is a dream car when it comes to technology. It is automatic and all accessories can be accessed by pressing the button.

It resembles the Berlineta Ferrari Dino and the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa and the noise of its engine refers to similarities with the Ferrari V12. The anime has a live action version.

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