Japanese car industry has a unique history with many brands sharing similar ways to success. Commonly emerging from large industrial corporations as subdivisions in the first half of the 20th century, Japanese manufacturers met the demands of domestic market in small commercial and personal vehicles. It was not until 1960s that Japan car industry had huge international success, powering its way to the top three car-producing countries in the world. The 1973 global oil crisis was a dramatic boost for Japanese car industry. Millions of people in North America traded their fuel-thirsty powerful cars for economical four-cylinder vehicles from the Land of the Rising Sun. And they proved to be extremely reliable too comparing to American vehicles. Ever since the Japanese cars have been associated with affordability, low running costs and reliability.
• List of Major Present Japanese Car Manufacturers •
1. Toyota
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Founded: 1937 Founder: Kiichiro Toyoda Headquarters: Toyota City, Japan Website: www.toyota.com
Toyota Motor Corporation is currently the largest car manufacturer in the world, producing over 10 million vehicles annually. The company was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda and rocketed during the 1970's oil crisis. With oil prices going sky high, the huge US market required inexpensive economical cars to replace their bulky sedans, mainly powered by V8 engines. That was a turning point for Toyota which gained the reputation of producing cheap and reliable cars. Responding to US import taxes, the Japanese company built the first plant in North America at the beginning of the 1980's. Later on they launched a new luxury brand Lexus. Toyota is one of the leaders in innovative hybrid and electric technologies and their marquee model Prius is now the best-selling hybrid car in the world. The total sales of Toyota bestseller, Corolla, reached 40 million in 2013. The company produces vehicles under Hino, Ranz, Scion, Lexus brands, has stakes in such companies as Daihatsu, Isuzu, Fuji Heavy Industries and cooperates with BMW.
2. Nissan
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