The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame (or JAHFA) is based at the

National Museum of Nature and Science The is in the northeast corner of Ueno Park in Tokyo. The museum has exhibitions on pre-Meiji period, Meiji science in Japan. It is the venue of the taxidermied bodies of the legendary dogs Hachikō and Taro and Jiro. A life-size blue whale mode ...

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

, Japan. It was established in 2000 and, since 2001, five or six people have been inducted in an annual award ceremony held at the museum. With plans to involve other museums (as in

Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a population of 1,461,000, ...

, where a dedicated display was opened), the Japanese Automotive Hall of Fame (a registered NPO) serves a useful role by informing people of the outstanding achievements made over the years by the motor industry pioneers and their successors. Of even greater importance, it is intended to inspire the next generation.

Inductees

2001

Kiichiro Toyoda was a Japanese businessman and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. His decision to change Toyoda's focus from automatic loom manufacture into automobile manufacturing created what would become Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyod ...

: founder of

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

and Toyoda Machinery Born in 1894, after completing his education at Tokyo Imperial University, Toyoda joined the family business – the Toyoda Spinning & Weaving Co. in Aiichi Prefecture. Eventually, in the 1930s, he established a car-building factory, and the Toyota brand was born as a result. Toyota was originally Toyoda. When Toyoda was changed to Toyota Motors, one part of the company still kept the Toyoda name (Toyoda Machinery) which still exists today selling Machine Tools. He died in March 1952. *

Soichiro Honda was a Japanese engineer and industrialist. In 1948, he established Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and oversaw its expansion from a wooden shack manufacturing bicycle motors to a multinational automobile and motorcycle manufacturer. Early years Honda w ...

: founder of

Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...

Born in November 1906, Honda worked at a car repair firm in Tokyo before establishing his own workshop in 1928. The Honda marque was established in October 1946, starting with motorcycles before moving into the automotive field. The brand also became synonymous with racing on two and four wheels. Honda died in 1991. *

Takeo Fujisawa was a Japanese businessman who co-founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. alongside Soichiro Honda. Fujisawa oversaw the financial side of the company while Honda handled the engineering and product development. Together, they took the company from a small ...

: business manager of

Born in 1910, Fujisawa joined Honda in 1949 and looked after the business aspect of the brand. He died in 1988. * Jiro Yanase: Car importer of merit Yanase was born in 1916 in Tokyo, joining his father's company Yanase Co., Ltd., in 1939. Yanase was a trailblazer in dealing in imported cars in Japan, introducing several brands to the country. Yanase was inducted to the

Automotive Hall of Fame The Automotive Hall of Fame is an American museum. It was founded in 1939 and has over 800 worldwide honorees. It is part of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. the Automotive Hall of Fame includes persons who have contributed greatly to au ...

in North America in 2004. * Osamu Hirao: Scholar/Doctor of Engineering Born in 1915, Hirao graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1939. He became a professor in 1954, working to improve all aspects of the motor industry (he had over 200 theses published), and a Fellow of the SAE in 1977. He died in July 1995. * Shojiro Ishibashi: founder of

Bridgestone is a Japanese multinational tire manufacturer founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (1889–1976) in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of , meaning 'stone bridge' in Japan ...

Born in 1889, Ishibashi came from a family of 'tabi' (traditional Japanese socks) manufacturers. These evolved into working shoes with rubber soles, and the use of rubber was duly expanded into several fields. The decision to make car tyres was taken with the foundation of Bridgestone Tyres in 1931, which became world-famous over the ensuing years. Ishibashi (which translates into Stone Bridge) died in 1976.

2002

* Osamu Suzuki: president of

Suzuki is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...

Born in 1930, Mr Suzuki was appointed president of Suzuki in 1978 at the age of 48. He has received numerous awards from countries outside Japan where Suzuki has established factories making light vehicles. In 2000, Suzuki was promoted to the position of chairman of the company. *

Kazuo Kumabe Kazuo (カズオ, かずお) is a masculine Japanese given name. Possible spellings It has several written forms, and the meaning depends on the characters used (usually kanji, but sometimes hiragana). Common forms include: * 一雄: first son, ...

: vice-president of

Born in 1897, Kumabe studied mechanics at Tokyo Imperial University, and conducted a great deal of research in thermal conduction and internal combustion engines. He wrote a book on the latter which became the standard source of reference in Japan. After the war, he was appointed MD of Toyota, but left in the early 1950s to form Kumabe Research. He died in 1974. *

Junya Toyokawa Jun'ya or Junya (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: * Junya Enoki is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Atomic Monkey. Biography Enoki was born in Tokyo. He b ...

: founder of Hakuyosha/Otomo Born in 1886, Toyokawa entered the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1907 but soon left, displeased with the style of education. He traveled to the US in 1913, and upon returning to Japan in 1915, began researching and building internal combustion engines. He built two prototype vehicles in 1921, providing the foundation for the Otomo car of 1922. Although the Otomo was Japan's first exported car, the marque disappeared after around 300 machines were built, as it was unable to compete with locally-built Ford and GM products. * Masujiro Hashimoto: founder of Kaishinsha/DAT Born in 1874, Hashimoto went to the States after graduating from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and worked at a steam locomotive factory. However, whilst in the US he met

Henry Leland Henry Martyn Leland (February 16, 1843 – March 26, 1932) was an American machinist, inventor, engineer and automotive entrepreneur. He founded the two premier American luxury automotive marques, Cadillac and Lincoln. Early years Henry M. Lelan ...

. Inspired by Leland's work, Hashimoto established the Kaishinsha Automobile Factory, which duly provided the building block for the

Datsun Datsun (, ) was an automobile brand owned by Nissan. Datsun's original production run began in 1931. From 1958 to 1986, only vehicles exported by Nissan were identified as Datsun. Nissan phased out the Datsun brand in March 1986, but relaunche ...

brand. Hashimoto died in 1944. *

Kunimitsu Takahashi was a Japanese professional motorcycle road racer, racing driver, and team manager. Nicknamed "Kuni-san", he is known as the "father of drifting". His racing career lasted from 1958 to 1999. He competed on motorcycles between 1958 and 1963, ...

: Racing driver and motorcyclist Born in 1940, Takahashi started his racing career on two wheels, becoming a works rider with the Honda team. After a bad crash in the 1962 Isle of Man TT race, he turned to four wheels, racing for Nissan and Honda with a great deal of success, competing at the top level until 1999. He is still heavily involved in motorsport promotion.

2003

* Tsuneji Matsuda: president of

Mazda , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...

Born in Osaka in 1895, Matsuda joined Toyo Kogyo (forerunner of Mazda) in 1927, and became a director in 1938. Matsuda ultimately became Mazda's president in 1951, with the company thriving under his vision and leadership. He also brought the rotary engine to Mazda, giving his engineers to freedom to make it work while 100 or so firms failed to do so. The RE-powered Cosmo Sport 110S was launched in 1967 as a result. Sadly, Matsuda fell ill and died in 1970. * Shotaro Kamiya: Sales network specialist Kamiya was born in 1898. After working abroad with trading companies, he took up a sales position at GM (Japan) in 1928, and duly moved to Toyota seven years later, where he was given the title of Sales Director. In 1950, Kamiya was made the first president of Toyota Motor Sales Ltd, setting up the sales channel system and driving schools, and establishing a new level of customer service. He died in 1980. * Genshichi Asahara: Car technology specialist Born in 1891, Asahara was interested in chemistry first and foremost. He joined

Yoshisuke Ayukawa was a Japanese entrepreneur, businessman, and politician, noteworthy as the founder and first president of the Nissan ''zaibatsu'' (1931–1945), one of Japan's most powerful business conglomerates around the time of the Second World War. Biog ...

's Tobato Casting firm, and moved across to Nissan in 1933. He became the latter's president in 1942, but resigned in wartime when production turned to military needs. He became an important figure within the GHQ advisory panel, and was the first chairman of the Japan Motor Technology Association. After becoming president of Nissan again in 1951, he also headed the Japan Motor Industry Federation (JMIF) for a while. He died in August 1970. * Masaichi Kondo: R & D pioneer Born in 1908, after studying aeronautics, Kondo applied his knowledge to improve car and motorcycle stability in the post-war years. In 1968, he was named an honorary professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and also the Tokyo Agricultural Industry University. He died in February 1999. * Michihiro Nishida: Safety campaigner Nishida was born in 1923, and joined Honda in 1950. He duly became Honda's MD in 1970, and headed the 'Safety Driving' campaign, which in turn led to the foundation of the International Transport Safety Society, bringing in ideas from all over the world to further improve conditions in Japan. * Yusuke Kaji: Advertising specialist Born in 1931, Kaji was one of the co-founders of Nippon Design Center. For 40 years, Kaji handled Toyota's advertising campaigns, with his work becoming very influential in promotional circles.

2004

Carlos Ghosn Carlos Ghosn (; ; ar, كارلوس غصن; , born 9 March 1954) is a businessman who holds Brazilian and French nationality. Ghosn was the CEO of Michelin North America, chairman and CEO of Renault, chairman of AvtoVAZ, chairman and CEO of Nis ...

: president of

Nissan , trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...

Born in March 1954, Ghosn made his name with Michelin, allowing him to take up the position of VP at Renault in 1996. In June that year, he was announced COO of Nissan, and became president of the latter in 2000. His 'Nissan Revival Plan' helped turn the finances at Nissan around. *

Tadashi Kume was a Japanese businessman who was the president and CEO of the Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Career Tadashi Kume joined Honda in 1954, eventually becoming Honda's 3rd president in 1983. He specialized in designing engines, and, along with other engin ...

: president of

Born in 1932, Kume joined Honda after completing his studies in mechanical engineering. He became a director at Honda's Technical Centre in 1969, and was appointed president of the latter in 1977. By 1983, he was president of Honda. He retired in 2002 with a glowing career, a Medal of Honor and several respected books behind him. * Shozo Maeda: Car museum founder Maeda made his name in bricks, but founded the Japan Motor Museum in November 1978, now hosting around 200,000 visitors a year. *

Tatsuo Hasegawa Tatsuo Hasegawa (長谷川龍雄, ''Hasegawa Tatsuo'', February 8, 1916 – April 29, 2008) was a Japanese automotive engineer, and known as the development chief of the first Toyota Corolla. He built the base of the economy cars in Japan ...

development engineer Born in 1916, Hasegawa joined the

Tachikawa Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturer in the Empire of Japan, specializing primarily in aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. It was based at Tachikawa, in Tokyo Prefecture. History Tachikawa Aircraft In November 1924, Ishikawajima Shipyar ...

after graduating from the

Tokyo Imperial University , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

. He moved to

in 1946, and gained a good reputation in the field of aerodynamics. He was also involved in the development of the first generation

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

, and was appointed chief engineer on the first generation Corolla and first generation Celica/

Carina Carina may refer to: Places Australia * Carina, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane * Carina Heights, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane * Carina, Victoria, a locality in Mildura Serbia * Carina, Osečina, a village in the Kolubara District ...

projects. He was appointed Toyota's MD in 1978, retiring from the company in 1988. * Mineo Yamamoto: Scholar/Doctor of Engineering Born in 1903, Yamamoto studied aeronautics at Tokyo Imperial University. After the war, he used his extensive knowledge of aero-engines for motor vehicle applications, and also worked in the field of car body design, becoming a leading light in measuring body stress. He was a top professor, and receiving a medal for his work a few years before his death in 1979. *

Shinroku Momose was a Japanese aircraft/automotive engineer. He is famous for the development of the Subaru 360, the Subaru Sambar and the Subaru 1000 series. History * February 20, 1919 – Born in Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture as the second son of a Sake ...

Subaru ( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...

development engineer Born in 1919, Momose joined the Nakajima Aircraft Co. in 1942 after graduating from

. He was quickly assigned to the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

to research

jet engine A jet engine is a type of reaction engine discharging a fast-moving jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition can include rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and hybrid propulsion, the term ...

and

turbocharger In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...

development, but returned to Nakajima after the war. He developed the Rabbit scooter, and was involved in all of the early

road car projects – the most famous being the

Subaru 360 The Subaru 360 is a rear-engined, two-door city car manufactured and marketed from 1958 to 1971 by Subaru. As the company's first automobile, production reached 392,000 over its 12-year model run. Noted for its small overall size, 1,000 lb ...

minicar of 1958. Momose was made Executive Chief Engineer in 1968, and he remained close to the industry long after his retirement. He died in 1997.

2005

* Yasusada Nobumoto: Auto parts specialist Born in 1920, after a spell in the army, Nobumoto eventually joined the Akebono Brake concern in 1950. He was given an executive position there within a year, and became president in 1964. He moved into the chairman's office in 1990, and was also chairman of the Japan Parts Association for many years. He died in 2003. * Yoshio Nakamura:

development engineer Born in 1918, Nakamura graduated from Tokyo Imperial University after studying aeronautical engineering. With the closure of the Nakajima Aircraft Co., he moved across to Fuji Sangyo, working on automotive engine design. He joined Honda in 1958, making his name in the R & D department and as a leading light in Honda's first venture into the world of F1. He retired in 1977, and died in December 1994. *

Shinichiro Sakurai was a Japanese engineer inducted into the Japan Automotive Hall of FameThe ...

development engineer Born on April 3, 1929. After graduating from

Yokohama National University , mottoeng = Initiative for Global Arts & Sciences , established = 1876 (chartered 1949) , type = National , president = Izuru Umehara , city = Yokohama, Kanagawa , country = Japan , undergrad = 7,298 as of 1 May 2020 , postgrad = 2,302 a ...

, Sakurai joined

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

as a chassis engineer in 1952, and was heavily involved in the development of the first generation

Skyline A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. City skylines ...

. He continued to head the Skyline project long after the Nissan takeover, and was appointed president of

Autech is a Nissan Motorsports & Customizing division focused on tuning and converting Nissan cars. Autech was a subsidiary company of Nissan from its establishment in 1986 to 2022, when it was merged with Nismo. History Autech was founded in 1986 as ...

(a Nissan subsidiary) in 1986. He died of heart failure on January 17, 2011. * Kiyoshi Tomizuka: Two-stroke engine specialist Born in 1893, Tomizuka studied mechanical engineering at Tokyo Imperial University. After a period of aeronautical research he went to Europe, and on his return to Japan in 1923, became a leading figure in two-stroke technology. He continued to lecture at various universities until 1966. He died at the age of 94. * Heitatsu Igarashi: Motoring historian Born in 1924, Igarashi joined Isuzu after studying mechanical engineering. After the war, he moved to the Ohta coachbuilding concern, but established his own design consultancy business in 1950, becoming a freelance writer and photographer at roughly the same time. The editor of Motor Review and a respected motoring historian, he died in December 2000.

2006

Nobuhiko Kawamoto was the CEO of Honda Motor from 1990 to 1998. Biography After graduating from Tohoku University in 1963, he joined the Honda F1 team as a design engineer. After Honda pulled out of F1 after the 1968 season to focus on production vehicles, he retu ...

: president of

Born in 1936, Kawamoto studied

precision engineering Precision engineering is a subdiscipline of electrical engineering, software engineering, electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, and optical engineering concerned with designing machines, fixtures, and other structures that have excepti ...

and joined Honda in 1963. He became heavily involved in automotive engine design and development and was an important member of the team that created the legendary CVCC unit. After several executive positions, he was named Honda's president in 1990, and continues to act as a consultant in his retirement years. He was awarded a KBE from Britain in 1999. * Hirosuke Furusho: Safety specialist Born in Kobe in 1932, Furusho joined Daihatsu in 1955. He was renowned for his work on driving stability, and moved up through the ranks at Daihatsu, becoming VP in 1996. He is an honorary member of the Motor Technology Federation. * Toshiro Seki: Diesel engine specialist Born in 1908, Seki became involved in automobiles when the steel foundry he was working for established a car-building business. He became a professor at Waseda University, and was well respected for his work on diesel engines. He died in 1979 in an air accident over the South Pole. * Atsushi Watari: NVH specialist Born in 1917, Watari graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1941, majoring in aeronautics. After a spell with the Nakajima Aircraft Co., he became a Doctor of Engineering, and then a professor at Tokyo University. Best known for his work on automotive springs and NVH control, he was heavily involved with JARI and FISITA before his retirement in 1978. He died in 1983, aged 66. * Yasusaburo Kobori: Airbag pioneer Born in 1899, Kobori was largely self-taught. After a spell with the Osaka Electric Railway Co., he formed his own machinery business in 1937, which was duly incorporated into the Ishikawajima Heavy Industries business. In 1962, he moved to Tokyo and started work on an airbag system. He died in 1975, sadly too soon to see his invention gain worldwide acceptance.

2007

Taiichi Ohno was a Japanese industrial engineer and businessman. He is considered to be the father of the Toyota Production System, which inspired Lean Manufacturing in the U.S. He devised the seven wastes (or muda in Japanese) as part of this system. He wro ...

: Manufacturing specialist Ohno was born in February 1912, and after graduating from Nagoya Kogyo University, joining the Toyoda Spinning and Weaving company. He was transferred to that concern's Toyota car project, and established a wide range of manufacturing techniques, including the 'Just In Time' method that is still a widely used system in the motor industry to this day. He also improved machinery and brought about a number of quality control practices that gave Toyota an unrivaled reputation in the field. He ultimately became Toyota's VP in 1978, but died in 1990. * Kenichi Yamamoto: president of

Born in 1922, Yamamoto studied mechanical engineering at Tokyo Imperial University. He joined Toyo Kogyo (Mazda) just after the war and became heavily involved in automotive engine design. In April 1963, he headed the RE development team, dedicated to making the Wankel engine suitable for production, and eventually perfected this beautiful power-unit. He was named president of Mazda in 1984, and then chairman in 1987. He retired in 1992. *

Takeshi Nakatsuka Takeshi ( in hiragana or in katakana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings *武, "warrior" *毅, "strong" *猛, "fierce" *健, "healthy" *剛, "sturdy" *彪, "spotted" *威, "intimidate" *壮, "robust" *丈, "length" *雄, "mascu ...

: R & D pioneer Born in 1926, Nakatsuka joined Isuzu after graduating from university. He worked on powerplant and body engineering, and was duly appointed head of R & D in 1965. He became president of Shatai Kogyo Ltd in 1988, and was named chairman of Isuzu R & D in 1992. * Hachiro Ogihara: Tooling specialist Born in 1906, Ogihara joined the Nakajima Aircraft Co. in 1921 and rose to the position of factory manager. However, when Japan's industry was reorganized following the war, he joined Fuji Sangyo (Subaru) for a short time before establishing the Ogihara Iron Works to create press dies. An early order from Subaru's bus department started things rolling, before Honda invested in the company. Ogihara died in 1983, but his company now supplies precision dies to car manufacturers all over the world. * Fujio Uruno: Safety specialist Born in 1917, Uruno became attached to the scientific department of the police force to study safety issues. A professor at Nihon University from 1969, he continued to work in the safety arena until his death in 1997. * Kenshichiro Suzuki: Car test magazine pioneer Born in 1903, Suzuki joined the staff of Motor Fan magazine pre-war, and became its publisher in a post-war revival of the title. The road test format was devised to give readers the ultimate level of information. Suzuki duly formed Sanai Shobo in 1952, giving birth to more motoring magazines. He died in 1963 but his legacy lives on.

2008

Yutaka Katayama , also known as Mr. K, was a Japanese automotive executive who was employed by Nissan and served as the first president of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. Katayama expanded Nissan's focus from economy vehicles towards sportier vehicles, and is reg ...

: Influential president of

in America Born in 1909, Katayama graduated from

Keio University , mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword , type = Private research coeducational higher education institution , established = 1858 , founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa , endowmen ...

and joined

in 1935. He was responsible for the first

Tokyo Motor Show The is a biennial auto show held in October–November at the Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), it is a recognized international show by ...

in 1954, and founded Nissan's operations in America. His management style allowed the

brand to flourish in the States until his return to Japan in 1977. He was inducted into the AHF in 1998. *

Jiro Tanaka is a Japanese aircraft and automotive engineer. Career Tanaka graduated from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in March 1939 and joined the Tachikawa Aircraft Company in April 1939. In October of the same year, he enlisted in the Army and evalu ...

: Respected

engineer Tanaka was born in Tokyo in 1917. He graduated from

Tokyo Institute of Technology is a national research university located in Greater Tokyo Area, Japan. Tokyo Tech is the largest institution for higher education in Japan dedicated to science and technology, one of first five Designated National University and selected as ...

in 1939 and joined the Tachikawa Aircraft Co. soon after. In the same year, he was recruited to the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

as a

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

(he was promoted to

1st Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

in February 1940) and was assigned to evaluate the new engines for the Army aircraft. In 1944, he was sent to his home company

Tachikawa file:Autumn colors in Showa memorial park.jpg, 250px, Showa Memorial Park is a Cities of Japan, city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 184,383 in 93,428 households, and a populat ...

to complete the design of the

Tachikawa Ki-74 The Tachikawa Ki-74 ( Allied reporting name "Patsy") was a Japanese experimental long-range reconnaissance bomber of World War II. A twin-engine, mid-wing monoplane, it was developed for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service but never deployed ...

. Following the war, after the reorganization of various firms, he became a valued employee at

, moving up through the ranks to executive level. He became VP of

Nissan Diesel UD Trucks Corporation (UDトラックス株式会社, ''UD Torakkusu Kabushikigaisha'') is a Japanese company whose principal business is the manufacturing and sales of diesel trucks, buses, bus chassis and special-purpose vehicles. Its headquarte ...

in 1983, retiring six years later. * Seiichi Inagawa: The man behind the first

Kei-car Born in 1925, Inagawa joined Suzuki after the war, rising to an executive of the company in 1973. He has received numerous awards, including a medal from the Emperor in 1997. * Katsumi Kageyama: Respected professor of engineering Kageyama was born in Kyushu in 1920, and graduated from Nippon University in 1943. He became a naval engineer, working on aero-engines, and then taught the subject at his old university, eventually becoming a professor in 1965. He wrote numerous books, and received an Emperor’s medal. He died in 2008, a few months before receiving this latest award. * Michiko Miyasu: Safety specialist Born in 1929, Miyasu joined the Marubeni trading company in 1946, before established her own shop five years later. In 1967, she set up a business that brought computer technology into the automotive world to enhance safety, and has since received many awards for her work.

Other entries

In addition to the induction of men and women who have made outstanding contributions in the automotive field, JAHFA introduced annual awards for the best domestic car, import car, design, technology, and historic car. To date, the following vehicles and designs have been singled out for recognition:

2001

* Best domestic car:

Honda Fit The Honda Fit (Japanese: ホンダ・フィット, Hepburn: ''Honda Fitto'') or Honda Jazz is a small car manufactured and marketed by Honda since 2001 and now in its fourth generation. It has a five-door hatchback body style and is considered ...

;

Toyota Estima The Toyota Previa, also known as the in Japan, and Toyota Tarago in Australia, is a minivan that was produced by Toyota from 1990 until October 2019 across three generations. The name "Previa" is derived from the Spanish and Italian for "previ ...

Hybrid * Best domestic design

Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...

;

Nissan Primera The is a Mid-size car, large family car which was produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1990 to 2007, for the markets in Japan and Europe. In Japan, it replaced the Nissan Stanza, Auster/Stanza, and was exclusive to ''Nissan Motor Comp ...

2002

* Best domestic car:

Mazda Atenza , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...

;

Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...

* Best domestic design: Toyota Ist;

Nissan Cube The Nissan Cube is a mini MPV produced by carmaker Nissan between 1998 to 2019. Initially sold only in Japan, the Cube was sold in North American markets from 2009 to 2014, and in European markets from 2009 to 2011. In Japan, it was exclusive to ...

2003

* Best domestic car:

Mazda RX-8 The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Japanese automobile manufacturer Mazda between 2002 and 2012. It was first shown in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in ...

* Best domestic design:

Toyota Prius The is a car built by Toyota which has a Hybrid vehicle drivetrain, hybrid drivetrain, combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. Initially offered as a four-door Sedan (automobile), sedan, it has been produced only as ...

* Best technology:

V6 engine A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik ...

* Best import car:

Volkswagen Touareg The Volkswagen Touareg (German pronunciation: ) is a car produced by German automaker Volkswagen Group since 2002 at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant. A five-seater mid-size luxury crossover SUV, the vehicle was named after the nomadic Tuareg peo ...

* Best import design:

Porsche Cayenne The Porsche Cayenne is a series of mid-size luxury crossover sport utility vehicles manufactured by the German automaker Porsche since 2002 (Type 9PA or E1), with North American sales beginning in 2003. It is the first V8-engined vehicle built b ...

* Historic car of Japan:

Mazda Cosmo The is an automobile which was produced by Mazda from 1967 until 1995. Throughout its history, the Cosmo served as a "halo" vehicle for Mazda, with the first Cosmo successfully launching the Mazda Wankel engine. The final generation of Cosmo ser ...

110S

2004

* Best domestic car:

Toyota Crown The is an automobile which has been produced by Toyota in Japan since 1955. It is primarily a line of mid-size luxury cars that is marketed as an upmarket offering in the Toyota lineup. Introduced in 1955 as the Toyopet Crown, it has served ...

/Majesta * Best domestic design:

Toyota Porte The is a mini MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota from 2004 to 2020 that features an electric-powered sliding door on the passenger side, similar in approach to the Isis. The driver's door is of the conventional swing-open type. __TOC ...

* Best domestic technology:

Honda Legend :''Sections of this article are translated from Japanese Wikipedia''. The Honda Legend is a series of V6-engined executive cars/mid-size luxury sedans produced by Honda since 1985 which currently serves as its flagship vehicle. It is larger tha ...

* Best import car:

Maserati Quattroporte The Maserati Quattroporte () is a four-door full-size luxury sports sedan produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati. The name translated from Italian means "four doors". The car is currently in its sixth generation, with the first ge ...

* Best import design:

Audi A6 The Audi A6 is an executive car made by the German automaker Audi. Now in its fifth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and estate configurations, the latter marketed by Aud ...

* Best import technology:

Volkswagen Golf The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates ...

* Historic car of Japan:

2005

* Best domestic car:

Honda Civic The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Acc ...

* Best import car:

Peugeot 407 The Peugeot 407 is a large family car (D-segment) produced by the French automaker Peugeot, from 2004 to 2011. It was available in sedan (car), saloon, coupé and station wagon, estate variants, with both Diesel engine, diesel and petrol engines. ...

* Best design:

BMW 3 Series The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact executive cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in seven generations. The first generation of the 3 Series was only avail ...

* Best technology: Lexus GS430 * Historic car of Japan:

2006

* Best domestic car: Lexus LS460 * Best import car:

Alfa Romeo Brera The Alfa Romeo Brera and the Alfa Romeo Spider (Type 939) are mid-size sports cars using the GM/Fiat Premium platform, manufactured by Pininfarina and marketed by Alfa Romeo as a 2+2 coupé and roadster respectively. 12,488 units of the Spide ...

* Best design:

Mitsubishi i The is a kei car from automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. It is the first four-door automobile since the 1960s to employ a " rear midship" setup w ...

* Best technology: Audi TT Coupe * Historic car of Japan:

2007

* Best domestic car:

* Best import car:

Variant * Best design:

Mazda Demio The is a subcompact/ supermini/B-segment small car manufactured by Mazda since 1996. While sold across four generations in the domestic Japanese market, the Demio nameplate was rarely used outside of Japan, where it was usually called the Mazda ...

* Best technology:

Nissan Skyline The is a brand of automobile originally produced by the Prince Motor Company starting in 1957, and then by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1967. After the merger, the Skyline and its larger counterpart, the Nissan Gloria, were sold in ...

* Historic car of Japan:

Daihatsu Midget The Daihatsu Midget is a single-seater mini-truck, later a microvan/kei truck made by Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Several distinct vehicles have borne the Midget name over the years, but all have had in common a single or two-seat utilitarian d ...

2008

* Best domestic car: Toyota iQ * Best import car:

Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of compact executive cars produced since 1994 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platform. The first ...

* Best design: Toyota iQ * Best technology:

Nissan X-Trail The is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 2000. Since its introduction, the X-Trail is positioned below the truck-based Xterra and Pathfinder. Since the third-generation model, the X-Trail became the same veh ...

20GT * Historic car of Japan:

Suzulight

2009

* Best domestic car:

Honda Insight The is a hybrid electric vehicle that is manufactured and marketed by Honda. Its first generation was a two-door, two passenger liftback (1999–2006) and in its second generation was a four-door, five passenger liftback (2009–2014). In its ...

* Best import car:

VW Golf The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates ...

* Best design:

* Best technology:

Mitsubishi i-MiEV The Mitsubishi i-MiEV (MiEV is an acronym for ''Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle'') is a five-door hatchback electric car produced in the 2010s by Mitsubishi Motors, and is the electric version of the Mitsubishi i. Rebadged variants of t ...

2010

* Best domestic car: Honda Fit Hybrid * Best import car:

VW Polo The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1975. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants throughout its production run. History ...

* Best design:

Honda CR-Z The Honda CR-Z is a sport compact hybrid electric automobile manufactured by Honda and marketed as a "sport hybrid coupe." The CR-Z combines a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain with traditional sports car elements, including a 2+2 seating arran ...

* Best technology:

Subaru Legacy The is a mid-size car built by Japanese automobile manufacturer Subaru since 1989. The maker's flagship car, it is unique in its class for offering all-wheel drive as a standard feature, and Subaru's traditional boxer engine. The Legacy was sold ...

(EyeSight ver.2)

2011

* Best domestic car:

Nissan Leaf The , stylized as LEAF, is a Compact car, compact five-door hatchback battery electric vehicle, battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufactured by Nissan. It was introduced in Japan and the United States in December 2010, and its second generation w ...

* Best import car:

VW Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a series of large family cars manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973, and now in its eighth generation. It has been marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Mago ...

* Best design:

* Best technology:

(SKYACTIV Technology)

2012

* Best domestic car: Honda N BOX+ * Best import car:

VW up! The Volkswagen Up (stylized as Volkswagen up!) is a city car, part of the Volkswagen Group New Small Family (NSF) series of models, unveiled at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany (IAA). Production of the Up started in December 2011 at th ...

* Best design:

* Best technology:

Mazda CX-5 The Mazda CX-5 is a compact crossover SUV produced by Mazda since 2012. A successor to both the Tribute and the slightly larger CX-7, it is Mazda's first model to feature the "Kodo" design language and the first model to be fully developed with ...

(SKYACTIV-D 2.2L)

External links

JAHFA official site

{{in lang, ja The information contained in this article is an English translation of the JAHFA yearbooks, printed in Japanese. People in the automobile industry Halls of fame in Japan Motor vehicle halls of fame