Japanese cars are used all over the world due to their quality and safety.
And the Japanese automobile industry has become a huge industry that creates many jobs not only in Japan but also in countries around the world.
In this article, introduce an overview of the Japanese automobile industry and the major car manufacturers.
overview of Japan automobile industry
According to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association’s “Japan’s automobile industry in 2022” statistics,
- the production volume of Japanese cars is 7.85 million units,
- the shipment value is 60 trillion yen,
- and the working population of the automobile-related industry is 5.52 million people.
The automobile industry is one of the largest industries in Japan.
Japanese automakers have a strong presence in the global market as they are highly regarded for their performance as automobiles, such as safety and fuel efficiency, due to thorough quality control.
For this reason, many Japanese cars are also popular overseas, and the global market share is Toyota 10.3%, Nissan 6.1%, Honda 4.6%, Suzuki 3.0%, Mazda 1.6%, Mitsubishi Motors 1.5%, and Subaru 1.2%.
Major car manufacturers in Japan
TOYOTA
Toyota Motor Corporation is one of Japan’s leading automobile manufacturers, and develops passenger cars, trucks, buses, HVs, EVs, and hydrogen vehicles in all directions.
It has gained market share not only in Japan but also in various continents such as North America, the EU, and Asia, making it the Japanese company with the highest global recognition.
In addition to manufacturing cars, the company is also involved in:
- Toyota is working to create a comfortable and sustainable city of the future by making the most of its technology and knowledge on the former factory site. In that city, new services will be provided that utilize self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, and robot technology.
- Capital tie-up with joby aviation, a leading flying car company in the U.S., to build a structure for research and development and mass production of flying cars.
HONDA
Honda is expanding its business around the world, including North America, Europe, and Asia, with its flagship models such as trucks, SUVs, and compact cars.
Recently, the company has also been focusing on eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
HONDA is not only involved in the automobile industry, but also in many other businesses, including marine engines, motorcycle manufacturing, and aircraft manufacturing.
Especially in the aircraft industry, the company succeeded in developing and manufacturing aircraft, which was considered difficult in Japan.
The small jet “HondaJet” developed by Honda is steadily increasing sales due to its high performance and good fuel efficiency.
Honda is working on the research and development of various cutting-edge technologies, and we can expect the release of exciting products in the future.
SUZUKI
SUZUKI is expanding its business in Japan, Asia, and Europe with main models such as mini cars, passenger cars, and light commercial vehicles.
The company is particularly focused on the Indian market. In 2021, 2707,000 units were sold globally, of which approximately 50% (1,365,000 units) were sold in India.
The company has a 43.4% share of the Indian market in 2021, and aims to reach a 50% share by 2030.
In addition, Suzuki has formed a business alliance with “Skydrive”, a company that develops flying cars.
With this, Suzuki will take on the challenge of building a system for technological development and mass production of flying cars, and plans to further develop the Indian market.
NISSAN
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is an automobile manufacturer that handles a wide range of vehicle models, from passenger cars to trucks.
The company is developing its business mainly in Japan, China, North America, and Europe, and has a sales record of 4,052,000 units globally in FY2021.
Nissan was one of the first Japanese automakers to develop electric vehicles, and has many EV-related technologies such as all-solid-state batteries.
In addition, Nissan has a capital relationship with Renault of France, and is expected to launch a joint venture company related to EV development in the future to further focus on manufacturing and developing EVs.
SUBARU
SUBARU sells cars all over the world, with passenger cars as its main model, and the number of sales in North America is particularly large.
The company sold 734,000 cars worldwide in 2021, of which 555,000 were sold in North America.
The company is promoting technology development with the goal of making 40% of its global sales volume EVs by 2030.
ISUZU
ISUZU is an automobile manufacturer that sells large trucks and buses for delivery to Japan, North America, Asia, etc.
The company is particularly focused on the Thai market, starting production of trucks in Thailand in 1966, and by 2020, the cumulative production volume has exceeded 5 million units.
ISUZU also manufactures “marine diesel engines” that can be used on ships by making use of the engine technology it has cultivated over the years.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS
Mitsubishi Motors is expanding its business globally in ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, North America, Europe, Central and South America, and Africa, with minicars and passenger cars as its main models.
In 2021, the company has sold 937,000 units globally, and in December 2022, the cumulative number of exports to Thailand has reached 5 million units.
mazda
Mazda is expanding its business in Japan, North America, Europe, China, and Asia, with passenger cars, light vehicles, and specially equipped vehicles as its main models.
In 2021, the company has a global sales volume of 1,251,000 units.
In order to strengthen the North American market, Mazda has built a new plant in the United States, started production in January 2022, and started sales in the United States in April of the same year.
Hino Motors
Hino Motors is an automobile manufacturer whose main models are trucks and buses.
Global sales volume in FY2021 will be 156,500 units, with Japan, Asia and Latin America accounting for about 50%.
The company also sells industrial diesel engines by making use of the engine technology it has cultivated over the years.
Daihatsu Motor
Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. is an automobile manufacturer whose main models are compact passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
The company has sold 907,233 units globally in 2021, and has been the top mini vehicle sales share in Japan for 16 consecutive years from 2006 to 2021.
It also has a high market share of 39.7%*1 in production volume in Indonesia and 37.7%*2 in Malaysian sales volume.
*1 Source: Daihatsu research based on Indonesian GAIKIND data (January-December 2021)
*2 Source: Daihatsu research based on Malaysian MAA data (January-December 2021)
That’all.
