Section 6. Postwar Arrangements and Labor Disputes
Item 2. Company Reconstruction
Establishing and developing of specialized parts plant
After the war, military supply factories equipped with technological capacity were converted to meet civilian demand, and many companies entered the automobile parts manufacturing business.1 A Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. affiliated company, Tokai Hikoki Co., Ltd.-which was planning to manufacture aircraft engines-changed its name to Aichi Kogyo Co., Ltd. and produced automobile parts.2
The Kyohokai, a voluntary organization of parts suppliers which had started during the war, was utilized to establish and develop such Toyota-affiliated companies as manufacturers of specialized parts, and was also expanded and reorganized. As the number of companies joining the Kyohokai increased, the Tokyo Kyohokai was formed in July 1946 and, in January 1947, the Kansai Kyohokai started and the existing Kyohokai was renamed the Tokai Kyohokai. The Tokyo Kyohokai subsequently changed its name to the Kanto Kyohokai in April 1957.
Other cooperative enterprises apart from parts manufacturers also formed cooperative associations similar to the Kyohokai. In April 1962, the Seihokai-an association of companies manufacturing molds, gauges, jigs and other equipment-was established and, the Eihokai-an association of companies in areas including public works, construction, and plant and equipment-was formed in November 1962. Later, in April 1983, the Seihokai and Eihokai combined to form a new Eihokai.