Hi-Tech Modern Culture

Japanese Cars

Hi  everyone how are you? Today’s topic is Japanese Cars.

Speaking of the car, however, a big scandalous news that grave financial misconduct done by Nissan’s chairman has been prevailing around the world since a couple of days (as of November 22, 2018).

“Nissan Skyline” was my best favorite car which I have enjoyed riding 7 cars everytime new model car was on the market during 20 years.

  

Japanese Cars

Outlines of Japanese Cars

The automotive industry in Japan 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 increased 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 13 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 currently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2017.

Japanese business conglomerates began building their 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 small), 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 3.


First generation Toyota Corolla (1966), the world’s all-time best selling line of cars; in its 12th generation as of 2018

The demand for domestic trucks was greatly increased 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 first emerged internationally.

Timeline

1907 – Daihatsu established
1914 – Nissan Established
1917 – Mitsubishi Model A
1918 – Isuzu first car
1924-1927 – Otomo
1931 – Mazda-Go (by Toyo Kogyo corp, later Mazda)
1934-1957 – Ohta starts auto production
1935 – Toyota’s first prototype car, the Model A1
1948 – Honda established
1952-1966 – Prince (absorbed into Nissan)
1953-1967 – Hino Motors starts auto production (merged into Toyota)
1954 – Subaru first Car P1
1955 – Suzuki’s first car Suzulight
1957 – Daihatsu’s 1st car Midget
1966 – One of the best selling cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla, is introduced
1967 – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) is founded
1967 – Mazda Cosmo 110S was one of first two mass-produced cars with Wankel rotary engine
1969 – Honda’s 1st car S500
1980 – Japan surpassed the United States and became first in auto manufacturing
1982 – Honda Accord becomes the first Japanese car built in the United States
1986 – Acura is launched by Honda
1989 – Lexus is launched by Toyota
1989 – Infiniti is launched by Nissan
1994 – Japan conceded to the United States back in auto manufacturing
1997 – Toyota Prius was the first mass-produced hybrid car
1997 – Toyota Corolla becomes the world’s best-selling car
2003 – Scion is launched by Toyota
2006 – Japan surpassed the United States and became first in auto manufacturing again
2008 – Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world’s largest car manufacturer
2009 – Japan was beaten by China and became second in auto manufacturing
2011 – Tohoku earthquake affects production
2016 – Kumamoto earthquake affects production


The latest model

Ultimately, “Shinkansen (Bullet Train)” which you’ll find interesting, thanks

About the author

古林 茂樹(Shigeki Furubayashi )