Overall Chronological Table
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Toyota events
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General events
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1941
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January 28
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President Risaburo Toyoda promoted to Chairman and Kiichiro Toyoda appointed company president
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February
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Production of AE passenger car 'Shin Nippon' commenced
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March
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Official prices of automobiles set
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April
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Cabinet order issued for controlling daily necessities
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April
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Tokyo Automobile Industries Co., Ltd. receives authorization under the Automotive Manufacturing Industries Law and is renamed Diesel Motor Industry Co., Ltd.
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May 1
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Machine tool plant of the machine tools division split off to form Toyota Machine Works Co., Ltd. (now Jtekt Co.)
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August
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U.S.A. institutes a complete ban on petroleum exports to Japan
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December
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The Pacific War breaks out
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December
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Automobile Control Committee established
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1942
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January
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Sales of foreign-made passenger cars banned
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February
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Shanghai Plant split off to establish Kachu Toyoda Jidosha Kogyo
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March 11
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Five companies (Toyoda Boshoku, Toyoda Oshikiri Boshoku Corporation, Chuo Spinning & Weaving Company, Utsumi Boshoku, and Kyowa Boseki) merged to establish Chuo Spinning Company
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March
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Production of KB truck (follow-on model to GB truck) commenced
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May
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Diesel Industry splits off Hino Works to establish Hino Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.
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June
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Airplane Division established
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June
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Dowa Automotive Industries Co., Ltd. merged into Manchuria Automobile Manufacturing Company
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July
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Japan Automobile Distribution established
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October 3
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Toyota Hospital opened
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November
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Prefectural Automobile Distribution established
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1943
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March 19
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Tokai Hikoki Co., Ltd. (now Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd.) established jointly with Kawasaki Aircraft Co., Ltd.
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March
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Petroleum Monopoly Act promulgated
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March
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Production of the Model AC passenger car (modified version of the A-type) commenced
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May
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Kariya Plant's Rubber Division merged with Kokuka Kogyo Co., Ltd., establishing the latter's Nagoya Plant (now Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.)
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June
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Inspection and Improvement Committee formed
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June
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Japanese Cabinet makes a decision on the Basic Policy for Enterprise Readjustment to Enlarge Fighting Strength
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October
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Controlled Companies Act promulgated
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November 3
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Chuo Boseki (Chuo Spinning) Co. merged into Toyota;
- its main plants (Kariya North, Kariya South, and Nakagawa Plants) diverted for use by the Airplane Group |
November
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Planning Bureau and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry abolished and the Ministry of Supply established
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November
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Production of KC truck (with wartime specifications) commenced
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November
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Production of airplane engine 'Ha-13-Kou 2' commenced at Kariya North Plant
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December
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Kyohokai established
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December
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Munitions Companies Law enacted
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1944
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January 17
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Designated as a munitions company
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January
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All Japanese automobile manufacturing companies designated as munitions companies
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January
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Large-class luxury B passenger car prototyped
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July
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AK10 four-wheel drive vehicle prototyped
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July
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Allied nations hold economic conference in Bretton Woods
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September
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Nissan renamed Nissan Heavy Industries, Ltd.
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1945
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March 10,
March 14 |
Most of Shibaura Plant destroyed by air raids (10th); Osaka Field Office burned down (14th)
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May
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Evacuation of Koromo Plant commenced
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August 14
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Casting Plant and Machinery Plant inside Koromo Plant damaged by bombs
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August
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Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
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August 31
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Toyota Shatai Kogyo Co., Ltd. (now Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd.) established
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August
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End of World War II
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September
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GHQ orders complete cessation of munitions production
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September
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GHQ permits production of trucks
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October
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Restoration of Koromo Plant and Shibaura Plant commenced
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October
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The United Nations founded
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October
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Toyota Laboratory established,
- renamed Special Engineering Division in 1948, and then absorbed into related divisions in the spring of 1950 |
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November
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GHQ orders dissolution of the zaibatsu
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November
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Automobile Council founded
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December 8
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Conversion to consumer goods production permitted
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December 15
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Consumer Mutual Aid Society (now Toyota Consumers' Co-Operative Society) established
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1946
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January 19
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Toyota Motor Koromo Labor Union (now Toyota Motor Worker's Union) formed
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January 20
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Aichi Plant designated reparation preservation facility (Canceled on May 28)
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January
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Automotive Manufacturing Industries Law abolished
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February
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Emergency Financial Measure ordinance promulgated (deposits and savings frozen, and switched to the new yen)
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March
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Labor Union Act enacted
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March
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Hino Heavy Industries Inc. renamed Hino Industry Co., Ltd.
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April 7
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First Management Council (now the Labor Management Council) held
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May 18
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Delegates from automobile dealers throughout Japan invited to Koromo Plant
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June
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Automobile Business Association of Japan established (dissolving Automobile Council)
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July
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Tokyo Kyohokai established (renamed Kanto Kyohokai in April 1957)
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July
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Japan Automobile Distribution dissolved
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August 11
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Designated a special accounting company (canceled on May 7, 1951)
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August
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Economy Stabilization Headquarters and Office of Price established
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October
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Enterprise Reorganization Act goes into effect
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October
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Renault Public Corporation launches '4CV'
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November 16
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Toyota Motor Sales Association formed (renamed Toyota Dealers Association on May 26, 1948)
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December
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Japanese Cabinet makes a decision on a production priority system
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1947
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January 27
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Kansai Kyohokai established (the existing Kyohokai renamed Tokai Kyohokai)
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February
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Japan Society of Automobile Engineers (now Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan (JSAE) founded
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March
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Production of BM truck commenced
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April 20
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Repairing of U.S.A. military passenger cars commenced
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April
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Production of SB small truck (Toyota's first small truck) commenced
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May
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Constitution of Japan goes into effect
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June 3
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Production of fifty large passenger cars permitted by a GHQ memorandum
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June
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Production of passenger cars permitted with restrictions by a GHQ memorandum
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June
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U.S.A. announces the European Restoration Plan (Marshall Plan)
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July 2
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Management Research Committee established
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July
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Anti-Monopoly Law goes into effect
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August
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GHQ permits resumption of foreign trading by the private sector with restrictions
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September 18
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Toyota Engineering Society established
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September
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Labor Standards Act goes into effect
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September
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'Toyopet' selected as the nickname of the compact car (model SA) through a public suggestion process
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October
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Production of the SA compact passenger car (Toyota's first compact passenger car) commenced;
- in the same year BM truck exported to Okinawa, and SA compact passenger car exported to Egypt (first export following the end of World War II) |
October
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General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) signed
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December
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Excessive Economic Power Deconcentration Law promulgated
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1948
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January 7
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Law for the Termination of Zaibatsu Family Control applied to Toyota (canceled on July 10, 1951)
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January
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Law for the Termination of Zaibatsu Family Control promulgated
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February 8
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Toyota designated as a company subject to the Excessive Economic Power Deconcentration Law (canceled on January 21, 1949)
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March 25
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Toyota Motor Labor Union joins the All Japan Automobile Workers Union (JAWU)
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April
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Berlin Blockade commenced
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April
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Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association established
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May
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Economy Stabilization Headquarters announces the Five-Year Economic Recovery Plan
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August
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Highest deliberative body, previously divided into Consumer Product Executive Office, Production Executive Office, etc., centralized as the Executive Office
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August
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Inspection and Improvement Department and Management Research Department established
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August
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Open test drive of the SA compact passenger car carried out
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September
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Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Founded
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September
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Citroen launched the '2CV'
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September
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Porsche launched the rear-engine sports car '356'
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October
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Electrical Component Division of Kariya South Plant and Radiator Division of Koromo Plant transferred to Kariya North Plant (renamed Electrical Plant)
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October
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Ministry of Commerce and Industry announces its Basic Policy on Automobile Industry
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October
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Management Research Committee reorganized to establish the Management Rationalization Committee, which also includes the Workers' Union
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December
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Hino Industry renamed Hino Diesel Industry Co., Ltd.
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December
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U.S.A. government instructs Douglas MacArthur to implement the Nine Economy Stabilization Principles
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1949
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February 1
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Invention and Design Handling Rules established (first Invention and Design Committee meeting held in March)
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March
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Dodge Line announced
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April 29
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Labor Union holds its first strike since its formation in opposition to the revision of the Labor Union Act
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April
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North Atlantic Treaty signed
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April
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Fixed exchange rate determined ($1 = 360 yen)
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May
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Production of BL model, low-floor bus commenced
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May
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Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI; now Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry [METI]) established
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June
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Automobile Recycling Group of Nakagawa Plant (in Nagoya city) closed
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July
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Diesel Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. renamed Isuzu Motors Ltd.
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August
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Nissan Heavy Industries renamed Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
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September
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GHQ announces the Report on Japanese Taxation By The Shoup Mission
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October
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GHQ cancels the passenger car production restriction
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November
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Production of SD compact passenger car commenced
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November
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Road Traffic Act revised to specify pedestrian traffic on the right side and vehicular traffic on the left side of roads
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December 16
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Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (now Denso Corporation) and Aichi Enamelware established
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December
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Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act promulgated
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December 23
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Memorandum signed with the Workers' Union on 10% wage reduction and no layoffs
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December
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188.2 million yen in financing received from a group of 24 banks
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December
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Statistical Quality Control (SQC) introduced
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December
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Competitive bid won to supply 100 trucks to the U.S.A. military in Okinawa
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Sometime this year, large trucks exported to Taiwan for the first time
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1950
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January
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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. split into three companies
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April 3
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Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. established (Managing Director Shotaro Kamiya appointed company president)
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April 7
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Labor dispute erupted surrounding layoffs
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April
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Automobile distribution control completely abolished
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April 22
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Company rebuilding plan announced; includes persuading 1,600 employees to voluntarily retire and closure of Kamata and Shibaura Plants (both in Tokyo)
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April
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Official pricing of automobiles abolished
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May 15
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Minsei Spinning Co., Ltd. (now Toyota Boshoku Corp.) established
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May
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Act on Foreign Capital goes into effect; Foreign Investment Commission established
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May
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Minsei Diesel Industries, Ltd. established
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June 7
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Yutaka Precon (now Toyota T&S Construction Co., Ltd.) established
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June
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Korean War breaks out
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June 10
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Labor dispute concluded, and Kamata and Shibaura Plants closed
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June 23
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Shotaro Kamiya, President of Toyota Motor Sales, leaves for the U.S. to discuss partnership issues with Ford and to observe the automobile market
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June
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SB small truck exported to Costa Rica for the first time
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July 11
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Eiji Toyoda, Executive Managing Director, leaves for the U.S.A. to observe the automobile market
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July
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New automobile tax instituted
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July 18
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Taizo Ishida, President of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, appointed Toyota President
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July 31
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Order for 1,000 vehicles received as part of the First Korean War Special Procurement boom
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August 29
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Order for 2,329 vehicles received as part of the Third Korean War Special Procurement boom
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August
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National Police Reserve established
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September 15
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Internal bulletin 'Toyota Shimbun' (now 'Creation') launched
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September
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High-Speed Engine Manufacturing Company launches the 'Ota'
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December
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Production of BDR-type patrol car commenced
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East Japan Heavy-Industries, Ltd and US Kaiser-Frazer Corporation from alliance (commencing knorls down production of the Henry J in June 1951)
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