Twenty years down the road; Japanese car makers in America.(Toyota may be about to break into the ranks of America's Big Three car makers)(the successful strategy of Japan's automakers in building cars in the US)(Brief Article)

Economist (US), The, September, 2002

The first of millions

Toyota may be about to join the ranks of America's Big Three car makers

TWENTY years ago, the finishing touches were being added to the first Honda cars to roll off the production line at the first Japanese car plant in North America, in Marysville, Ohio. The Japanese manufacturer was there in response to taunts by a Ford chairman, Harold "Red" Poling, that the Japanese should "build cars where they sell them". In the protectionist mood of the times, the only way Japan's car companies could get round import restrictions was to invest directly in America. Honda, which already had motorcycle production there, was the first, followed over the next four years by Nissan and then Toyota.

So successful have their cars been...

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