BBC "TWO" | Nippon | Episode 5 of 8 - "Taking on Detroit"

Summary

The video chronicles the remarkable rise of Japan's automobile industry, detailing its journey from importing cars in the 1920s to becoming a global leader in the 1970s. It highlights the strategic moves by Japanese firms, the influence of foreign companies, and the pivotal role of the Japanese government. The narrative explores key innovations, labor relations, and the eventual international success of brands like Toyota and Nissan. Through resilience and ingenuity, Japan transformed its manufacturing capabilities, overcoming post-war challenges to revolutionize mass production and become a dominant force in the global car market.

Takeaways

• 🚗 Japan's car industry emerged as a dominant force in the global market, becoming a 'giant-killer' in automotive manufacturing.
• 🏭 Japan initially struggled with automobile production, relying heavily on imported cars and foreign expertise in the early 20th century.
• 🇺🇸 American companies like General Motors and Ford set up factories in Japan, significantly influencing the local automotive industry.
• ⚙️ The Japanese government pushed for domestic car production in the 1930s, leading to the establishment of companies like Nissan and Toyota.
• 🌐 World War II shifted Japanese automotive production towards military vehicles, which laid the groundwork for future industry growth.
• 🛠️ Post-war Japan faced significant challenges, including economic chaos and material shortages, but began rebuilding its automotive industry.
• 🚴 Mr. Honda adapted a small engine to a bicycle, creating the first motor-powered bicycle in Japan after the war.
• 🛣️ Despite early struggles, Japanese car manufacturers, with the support of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), began developing better models and improving production techniques.
• 💼 The introduction of the 'just-in-time' production method by Toyota's Taiichi Ohno revolutionized the efficiency of Japanese car manufacturing.
• 🌍 By the 1970s and 1980s, Japanese cars had gained significant market share internationally, particularly in the United States, due to their fuel efficiency and reliability.

Q & A

How did Japan's automobile industry evolve during the 1920s?

In the 1920s, Japan had only a few thousand cars, almost all of which were imported. Japanese manufacturers lacked the production know-how and engineering base to build cars economically.

What role did American companies play in the early development of Japan's car industry?

American companies like General Motors and Ford set up large modern factories in Japan, producing 90% of Japan's vehicles. They brought parts from Detroit and taught Japanese workers American production methods.

Why did the Japanese government expel Ford and General Motors in the 1930s?

The Japanese government was concerned about the economic drain and national defense implications of relying on imports. They wanted to build a domestic car industry, so they expelled Ford and General Motors and promoted Nissan and Toyota as principal suppliers for the Imperial Army.

How did World War II impact Japan's automobile industry?

During World War II, car production stopped, and the focus shifted to military trucks. However, the trucks were unreliable and crude. Despite the war's devastation, the demand for military vehicles laid the foundation for Japan's motor industry.

What challenges did Japan face in rebuilding its automobile industry after World War II?

Post-war Japan was in chaos, with the economy in ruins and a lack of raw materials. Companies struggled with too many workers and too few orders, and there was widespread unemployment and a thriving black market.

What was the significance of the Korean War for Japan's car industry?

The Korean War provided a crucial order for 3,000 army trucks, which helped Toyota and other companies survive financially and led to a resurgence in production.

How did Japanese car companies like Nissan and Toyota improve their production methods in the 1950s?

Japanese car companies formed technology tie-ups with foreign companies like Austin, Renault, and Hillman, learning advanced manufacturing techniques and aiming for 90% domestic production within five years.

What was the 'just-in-time' production method introduced by Toyota?

The 'just-in-time' production method aimed to produce only what was needed when it was needed, reducing inventory costs and improving efficiency. Parts were made and delivered to the assembly line in the exact quantities required.

How did Japanese carmakers address labor relations and improve productivity?

Japanese carmakers implemented new working practices and labor relations, focusing on cooperation and eliminating waste. Engineers like Taiichi Ohno at Toyota introduced innovations to maximize the use of human labor and machinery.

What impact did the oil crisis of 1973 have on Japanese car exports to the United States?

The oil crisis highlighted the fuel efficiency of Japanese cars like the Datsun, which had the best fuel economy among models on sale in the U.S. This led to a surge in demand for Japanese cars, despite the overall economic downturn.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 The Rise of Japan's Automotive Industry

Japan's automotive industry emerged as a global leader, producing nine million cars annually by learning and innovating mass production techniques. Initially dependent on imports and lacking production know-how, American companies like General Motors and Ford established factories in Japan. However, the Japanese government pushed for domestic production, leading to the development of companies like Nissan and Toyota, which became principal suppliers to the Imperial Army.

05:03

🔄 Post-War Challenges and Innovations

After World War II, Japan's economy was in chaos, and raw materials were scarce. Entrepreneurs like Mr. Honda adapted by creating motor-powered bicycles. Toyota and Nissan, having survived the war, faced bankruptcy until the Korean War orders revitalized them. This period saw a struggle to maintain production and adapt to new economic realities, laying the groundwork for future automotive success.

10:04

🏭 Building a Domestic Car Industry

Despite skepticism from economic leaders, Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) supported the development of a domestic car industry. Early post-war cars were crude, often built using parts from light trucks. To improve, companies like Nissan partnered with foreign manufacturers like Austin, importing technology and knowledge while striving for self-sufficiency and improved quality.

15:06

🔧 Learning and Adapting Foreign Technology

Japanese carmakers like Nissan and Toyota learned from foreign partnerships, notably with Austin and Ford. Engineers visited foreign factories to understand advanced production methods, and local adaptations of foreign designs became common. Despite initial difficulties, these efforts led to significant improvements in manufacturing processes and vehicle quality.

20:11

🏎️ Entering Competitive Motorsports

Nissan entered its first home-designed car in the Round Australia Rally in 1958, testing its durability against international competition. Surprisingly, the Datsun won its class, boosting Japanese morale and marking a significant milestone in the country's automotive industry. This success symbolized Japan's recovery and growing confidence in its engineering capabilities.

25:13

💼 Labor Relations and Productivity Improvements

Post-war Japan faced significant labor disputes, notably at Nissan, where a major strike in 1953 led to the establishment of company unions and improved labor relations. Engineers like Taiichi Ohno at Toyota revolutionized production methods, introducing the 'just-in-time' system to minimize waste and improve efficiency, significantly boosting productivity.

30:14

🔄 Just-in-Time Production Revolution

The 'just-in-time' production system, championed by Taiichi Ohno at Toyota, transformed Japanese manufacturing. By producing only what was needed, when it was needed, factories reduced inventory costs and increased efficiency. This approach, coupled with rapid die change techniques, allowed for more flexible and efficient production, setting new standards in the industry.

35:16

🏭 Building Modern Factories

With government support and investment, Japanese car manufacturers modernized their factories, enhancing production capacity and efficiency. New plants like Toyota's Motomachi factory were built with advanced technology, helping Japan's automotive industry grow rapidly and meet increasing domestic and international demand.

40:16

🌏 Breaking into International Markets

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Japanese car manufacturers began exporting to international markets, despite initial setbacks. Early exports to the U.S. faced challenges due to quality issues, but lessons learned from competitors like Volkswagen helped improve after-sales service and product reliability. Persistent efforts led to growing acceptance and success in foreign markets.

45:17

🌐 Overcoming Export Challenges

The 1973 oil crisis unexpectedly boosted Japanese car sales in the U.S. due to their fuel efficiency. Despite initial resistance and quality issues, Japanese manufacturers improved their cars and targeted markets like California, gaining significant market share. The crisis highlighted the advantages of Japanese cars and accelerated their acceptance in the American market.

50:20

🚗 Adapting to Global Competition

As Japanese cars gained popularity, American and European manufacturers sought to learn from Japan's production methods. The Japanese excelled in areas like flexible production, quality control, and labor relations, setting new industry standards. By the 1980s, Japanese cars captured a significant share of the U.S. market, prompting American companies to seek protectionist measures.

55:23

🌍 Establishing Global Manufacturing

To bypass import restrictions, Japanese car manufacturers began building factories abroad, including in the United States. This strategy allowed them to maintain market presence despite export limits. The establishment of foreign plants showcased Japan's ability to adapt and thrive in the global automotive industry.

Keywords

💡Japanese Car Industry

The Japanese car industry refers to the automotive sector in Japan, which evolved from humble beginnings to become a world leader in car production. The industry started with a reliance on foreign technology and expertise but eventually developed its own methods and innovations, significantly impacting global manufacturing practices.

💡Mass Production

Mass production is a manufacturing process that produces large quantities of standardized products, often using assembly lines. In the context of the video, Japanese manufacturers, such as Toyota, adapted and improved mass production techniques to enhance efficiency and quality, surpassing Western methods.

💡Nissan

Nissan is a major Japanese automobile manufacturer that played a crucial role in the development of Japan's car industry. The company initially relied on American machinery and engineers but later innovated its processes and designs, contributing significantly to Japan's automotive success.

💡Toyota

Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, originating from Japan. The company is highlighted for its advancements in production techniques, such as the just-in-time manufacturing method, which revolutionized the industry by reducing waste and improving efficiency.

💡Just-in-Time Manufacturing

Just-in-time manufacturing is a strategy to increase efficiency and reduce waste by receiving goods only as they are needed in the production process. This method, pioneered by Toyota, ensures that parts and materials arrive just in time for use, minimizing inventory costs and improving workflow.

💡Post-War Reconstruction

Post-war reconstruction refers to the period after World War II when Japan rebuilt its economy and industrial base. The video describes how the Japanese car industry, despite the devastation, rapidly recovered and modernized, laying the groundwork for future success.

💡Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI)

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) was a key government agency in Japan that supported the growth of the car industry through strategic planning and financial assistance. MITI played a vital role in guiding and protecting the industry during its formative years.

💡American Influence

American influence in the Japanese car industry was significant in the early stages, with companies like General Motors and Ford establishing factories and transferring knowledge. This influence helped Japan develop its initial automotive capabilities, which were later built upon and localized.

💡Technological Innovation

Technological innovation refers to the development and application of new technologies to improve products and processes. In the video, Japanese car manufacturers are depicted as continuously innovating, leading to advancements such as more efficient production methods and higher quality vehicles.

💡Export Market

The export market is the international market where goods produced in one country are sold in others. The video discusses how Japanese car manufacturers expanded into global markets, particularly the United States, where they eventually captured a significant market share due to their fuel-efficient and reliable vehicles.

Highlights

Japan's car industry, despite being late to the automobile age, became the world's largest car producer by rewriting the basic lessons of mass production.

In the 1920s, almost all cars in Japan were imported. Japan lacked the production know-how and engineering base to build cars economically.

American companies like General Motors and Ford set up large modern factories in Japan, teaching Japanese workers the American way of production.

By the 1930s, Japan was experiencing a total foreign takeover of its automobile industry, producing 90% of its vehicles through American factories.

Japan's Ministry of Commerce urged industrialists to make cars domestically to address national defense and trade balance concerns.

During World War II, Japan's motor industry focused on truck production for the military, laying the foundation for its post-war car industry.

Post-war Japan faced chaos with no raw materials and halted military orders, but companies like Toyota quickly aimed to catch up with American productivity.

Toyota's post-war strategy involved trying to match American industrial productivity, despite initially being far behind.

The Korean War brought a surge in orders for Japanese trucks, which helped revive the industry and set the stage for its growth.

In the 1950s, Japan began focusing on developing its own car designs, starting with crude models derived from truck chassis.

Japanese firms, supported by the powerful Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), aimed to make cars a strategic industry to boost the economy and technology.

The 'just-in-time' production method, pioneered by Toyota's Taiichi Ohno, minimized inventory and capital investment, significantly increasing productivity.

The 1960s saw rapid growth in Japan's car production, driven by new plants, improved technology, and the rise of the domestic market.

Despite initial quality issues, Japanese cars began making a significant impact on the American market by the late 1960s and early 1970s, especially after the oil crisis.

By 1980, Japanese cars held 20% of the American market, and Japanese firms had started producing cars in the United States to bypass import restrictions.

The Japanese car industry's transformation involved adopting and adapting American and European manufacturing techniques, leading to their dominance in the global market.

Innovations like flexible production, quality control, and the just-in-time system became hallmarks of the Japanese car industry's success.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

Japan's car in the street has been the

giant-killer the cars they're testing

are what the rest of the world now has

to beat

[Music]

they come from behind to make nine

million cars a year more than any other

country as they overtook the world they

rewrote the basic lessons of mass

production this is the story of the

Japanese industry which made the

greatest dent in Western manufacturing

pride

[Music]

Japan had been late to enter the

automobile age in the 1920s there are

only a few thousand cars in the country

almost all were imported from abroad

for the Japanese driving cars with one

thing making them another they hadn't

the production know-how or the

engineering base to build them

economically

[Music]

with a huge potential market right for

the picking Japan now experienced a

total foreign takeover

American businessman moved in quickly

with their unmatched experience General

Motors and Ford set up large modern

factories parts were shipped over from

Detroit American managers taught their

Japanese workers the American Way soon

these transport factories were producing

90 percent of Japan's vehicles but the

Japanese government was alarmed they

didn't like the drain of cash out of the

country in 1930 the Ministry of Commerce

warned the fact that we depend on

imports is unbearable from the point of

view of national defense to say nothing

of the balance of trade Japanese

industrialists were urged to make cars

themselves

trader who made textile built their

first cars in 1934 for their first small

car Nissan bought secondhand machine

tools from the United States and hired

American engineers

because your knee there was a specialist

in casting in the fan so can I come so

cool he came from abroad called a newer

forging of nicosia yeah and in the forge

there was a foreign serie a bristle

cause yeah and it was the same in the

pressing shop this color so no cause you

were teachers then say that brothers by

now Japan was under military government

and pursuing a war in China the soldiers

wanted to bring the motor industry under

their own control they expelled Ford and

General Motors and built up Nissan and

Toyota

as principal suppliers for the Imperial

Army

[Music]

in the Second World War

trucks were all that mattered car

production stopped altogether as Japan

attacked the Western Allies despite the

propaganda the trucks were unreliable

and crude the demand for military

vehicles laid the foundation for Japan's

motor industry

but the great adventure ended in

surrender Japan was defeated and the

workers and managers had no idea what to

expect

Eiji Toyoda had joined his family's firm

in 1937 the world are there

senso up or what thought sceptile gonna

show they the law had just finished what

I got out doorman no God everyone was

wondering what would happen now I think

would happen to Japan what would happen

to our own daily lives and to our Karan

I know you can see honey no one on what

to expect we were all in a kind of limbo

so Titus surely you know chingkuo type

the economy was in chaos Japan was cut

off from its raw materials all the

military orders had stopped

the black market flourished

during the war mr. Honda small company

had made arrow engine parts a Virginie

grenade machine a hernia unless you went

out looking for them parts and materials

were impossible to get hold of so that

was my wife's job my job was to stay at

home using how modern unless he went a

long way you wouldn't find what you were

looking for and it was hard cycling all

that way in there anyway that was a

small 50 cc engine that the army had

used in the war so I got hold of one and

fixed it onto a bicycle and with that he

could bum a lot

Scipione through and that is the first

motor powered bicycle to be made after

the war no my biscuit fire engine that's

me three-wheeled bicycles and

motorcycles sturdy little vehicles which

carry unload all out of proportion to

their size today perform a very large

part of the freight hauling this is the

Nipponese version of the Stanley Steamer

when the operator starts the fire you

never know whether there's going to burn

up blow up or just behave itself

[Music]

gie drivers in jaffa and usually get

this number of wide berth when passing

on the screen the technical superiority

of the Americans who were now occupying

Japan had never seen clearer but the men

who built the Army's trucks wanted to

put the war behind them quickly and get

back to business

Toyota's factories had survived the

bombing mr. Ono was one of their

engineers Keitel or NATO thought it was

only two or three days after I defeat in

the war the company president Kiir trio

Toyota gathered us all together and he

made a speech that's nay he said you've

got three years to catch up with

American industry son in the motor

industry in Japan will be physically

fatal so the net thought you're on drugs

is also yeah - can I offer you

well I wondered if Kia true had realized

it American manufacturers productivity

was at least eight times better than

their own

then I thought to myself why not all

you've although catching up with the

Americans in three years question

son-in-law chat or at least we ought to

set about it in that sort of you only

did your auntie can Takata what the

decision was all worked out

to most catching up seemed a distant

dream machine or dachshund doing at that

time I was living in the single men's

dormitory and the chimneys of the

company's forge were just across from my

window so William you so when I looked

out and saw smoke coming out of them I'd

think oh great that means they've got

some coal so when there was nothing oh I

knew there'd be no vehicles made that

day even if I turned up for work well so

are those days we would go to the local

farmers and try to swap things that

we've made for food reward so we rode

through the course

companies struggled on but with too many

workers and too few orders they were

near to bankruptcy books in Nagpur

questa continuously Del Greco cetera one

day I heard a news flash on the radio

that war had broken out in Korea tonight

and when I went to the factory I

discovered that we'd got an order for

three thousand army trucks and suddenly

we were hard at work it was funny

because until that week we'd all been

laid off the president of Toyota wrote

the orders were Toyotas salvation I felt

a mingling of joy for my company and a

sense of guilt that I was rejoicing at

another country's war as Japan regained

independence in 1952 its motor factories

still concentrated on trunks it nearly

stayed that way when the companies

wanted to move into cars they were

opposed by the governor of the Bank of

Japan mr. Shimada

who said efforts to foster a car

industry in Japan are meaningless since

America can produce cheap high-quality

cars

shouldn't we depend on them for our cars

but the case for making them was put as

strongly by others Nick hewer at that

time I was the official in the Ministry

of International Trade and Industry

responsible for the motor industry I

said that if we would have plan in the

post-war recovery of the economy so that

everyone in Japan could make a living we

needed major industries but we in

particular we needed to build up an

automobile industry because car

manufacture as many other industries

associated and we had to provide jobs

for a lot of people it's not clear make

a nice list Nick he thought then that it

would also help raise the general level

of technology for all those reasons we

had to bring on car making as a

strategic industry Accession meaty we

clung very firmly to this thinking today

I'm on target

[Music]

the powerful Ministry of Trade and

Industry methi was now backing them but

there was a long way to go

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

using the chasis from light trucks they

voted on bodies to make Japan's first

post-war passenger cars with their truck

origins they were sturdy but crude

as they started to develop better models

the firm's had to set up new car design

teams in the factories at Nissan one of

the car pioneers was mr. Tanner Bey

mani son the Hollen or cicada scalable I

was in this hands design department at

Cerrone it was in an old building made

of wood two stories high the floor was

pretty rotten are you gonna be doing

experiments and that sort of thing we

bring engine parts like cylinder blocks

upstairs and put him beside our desks

Shinda broke that go in more detail is

seconds away everybody do this law would

be away so after that who were forbidden

to bring heavy objects upstairs did we

had to keep them the other corners good

idea at the time half the cars were

imported so heavy tariffs up to 40% were

imposed to keep them out but for their

own industry they needed no harm and

Ford expelled before the war was still

the marvel

in Detroit Henry Ford with the biggest

car plant in the world his mass

production method set the standards

others had to follow

Detroit in the 50s was king of the

mountain the world couldn't do what they

did the world came to their door how to

make automobiles and I am and it was a

simple automobile highly refined for

simplicity sake

low cost of i buy and manufacture one of

the first Japanese to visit Ford's

Detroit Factory was AG Toyota Toyota

Thor Rock Arianna they told me that

because Ford was such a huge company

there were actually only a few people

who could answer all the questions in

the various areas we had raised and they

said why are you being so greedy why are

you making so many sort of moisture for

Dada - okay so I said I understand but

because Toyota is such a little company

we managers have to be involved in all

the manufacturing areas or the nation

must so please help me then why you

don't never though all sweaty much tail

Toyota was allowed to spend three months

inspecting the plants he wrote home to

his company newspaper throughout

assembly everything is tested again and

again I realized this is the way to

produce perfect cars there's much for

Toyota to learn here

and socially caneta was he mother's name

since our first measure was to encourage

the introduction of technology from the

developed countries Europe and America

done this we try to get all

manufacturers to form technology tie ups

with foreign companies new kagu north or

so you got on the understanding that

they move towards 90 percent domestic

manufacture within five years as a cue

to pass into array consists of Leona and

killed a the British taught the Japanese

how to make cars to when the son needed

help they signed an agreement with

Austin years of research experiment and

trials went into this car before the

Austin designers were satisfied now

manufactured with scrupulous skill from

the finest possible materials and tested

at every point the Cambridge will soon

be ready to leave the lines under its

own path at first

Austin shipped all the parts from

Britain but the government wanted Nissan

to make each component and finally the

whole car in Japan as soon as possible

before this could be done they had to

meet British Standards Nixtamal ma jim

boo and his sons it kills us much to the

kids at the time we made a new part for

ourselves as a result it would be flown

to Austin in England who thought there

it would be inspected and okay for

manufacture by us just it

Aric whole Beach was sent from

Birmingham to Yokohama to supervise

production of the Austin design that

equipment was very basic and it included

a lot of machines which were Japanese

copies of British and American and

German machines which they had produced

themselves know that because of the

difficulty of importing machine tools at

that time as they studied the blueprints

Hobe each found the Japanese engineers

eager to learn and persistent if you

couldn't give them a precise answer for

any reason then they would repeat the

question if they still didn't get an

answer then it would be left on one side

sure enough the following day or the day

after they would come up with the same

question again and we rather got the

feeling that they thought we were hiding

something from them and then they would

come out mr. hull Beach we must learn

from the West please can you answer this

question

with ho [ __ ] help the first Japanese

a40 came off the line in 1953 austin's

home factory was then one of the most

modern in Europe and Japanese engineers

like mr. Sasaki were sent to see it come

vehicle

Galip don't know what I saw how the

parts came from the founder and were

moved on to the machine shop by a very

rare it was all automatic with you

master eh it was the first time I had

seen anything like that and I thought it

was amazing

jujin not only deep down ladders me but

come tell o'clock they all had a tea

bringer and everyone had their own mug

which they'd go and fill from an urn and

then they'd rest for 10 minutes

I just wonder about the factory coupe

would you avoid our eyes you really

think embackment

production had to stop for 10 minutes as

well India

don't you remember - like your van other

firms made similar times with Renault

Hillman and other European companies but

the biggest Japanese firm Toyota was

determined to go it alone and develop a

modern all Japanese popular car their

first model was called the toyopet

even therefore the civil area we

collected together lots of thoughts from

Ford Austin Chevrolet and Hillman so on

and had a close look at them all

that's how we start to do cause I cut

scare coil what are the machine tools

the boring machines and so on were all

owned in common from before the war and

they look really worn out

I worked on them to get them or

something like automated to raise

productivity receive Malloy you're

imagining CEO Cynthia we had to do all

the designing ourselves and then do all

the work by hand

in the mid-1950s the protected Japanese

carmakers were learning fast but their

technology was way behind the rest of

the world went missing produced their

first home design Datsun model they

wanted to test it against the foreign

competition so in 1958 they entered it

in the round Australia Rally

human never see I thought we might get a

bit of publicity but even if we didn't

we've been on the worse for it

because having the chance to test the

car and those conditions would be very

useful you might open this early

[Music]

dr. Sangha drunken offensive scheme

ashtanga yoga nagato-san no podía so the

author rocky does money matter

Oh Veronica of anonymous investor

porkiness am NOT an optimal Vista

machine I see a doctor's antibodies she

meant Akira however we have that big

crystal inertia

ji-woon Okinawa Okinawa captain ah

look we went to find out how our car was

stabbed but also to take notes on the

performance of other countries cars that

was our purpose in going so the whole

team were engineers to Australian and

even Japanese surprised Datsun won its

class

Kuala new home nor couldn't lie there

nuan Ginga so you see we'd been defeated

in the war kiln and everything of the

fleet so when a Japanese car with

Japanese drivers did well in an

international competitions it gave

everyone a tremendous lift

the Japanese had now recovered from the

war they were still poor by Western

standards most people could afford only

motorbikes but 11 companies were already

making cars Toyota trained women

graduates for its sales force we went on

training course after training course we

even learned about servicing when we

took the demonstration cars out we'd

sometimes see our competitors from

another color Anya parked outside a

house and we'd know a Salesman was in

there and when they in turn saw our cars

parked they knew that Toyota was in

there trying to clinch a deal high up

we'd see why you had to be very careful

with these demonstration cars I'd either

have to get up very early in the morning

or go in the evening when it was dawn to

throw our riders off the scent I park in

alleyways the cars they sold were

expensive and to make more sales the

companies had to get the prices down the

key to that was not just technology but

working practices and labor relations in

the factories

[Music]

undeniably I know I don't I protected my

Japanese labor relations weren't always

the envy of the world after the war

there was constant strife as new

industry-wide unions battled with

managers after wartime service in the

Air Force mr. Meyer key went to work in

a car plant you know what you cut it to

the grassland his sankhara dukkhata were

loud yoni Nissan was the company that

went 12 months on ten months work

because it was on strike at least two

months a year

Chingy induction didn't go smooth edges

were paid late it was a very unsettled

race doing normal so who's your tightest

cutter donkey what labor relations were

so bad I thought well I've joined a

company that looks as though it's about

to go broke my doctor she was obscure

too much they were odd I was general

secretary of the you and I held frequent

meetings with the shop stewards in order

to pass on information it was very hard

to get enough to eat just on our wages

everybody thought that we had to do

something about it you who knew I mean

know what that alone is the crucial

showdown for the car industry came in

1953 the national car workers union the

Zenji took on the companies in a claim

for wages and more shop floor control

Nissan refused to negotiate and locked

out the strikers Musto so I say oka

behind the barricades Nissan's managers

stayed in the factory case we camped out

in the offices on the second floor of

the administration block I done blocked

the staircases with wood so that nobody

could come up so got out there were lots

of offices

nicaya and we spread blankets which was

the desks so they're square we were in

there for 45 days you do they know what

the Nissan dispute became a symbolic

fight watched closely by other employers

at the Lord you give out 31 you're my

you don't maybe there funiculus the

Japanese Employers Association gave us

great support they were there no ma say

held meetings with us and advised us on

anti-union tactics ok no Cushi she

Sakura

since this was the sort of strike that

the management couldn't really cope with

the only course of action was to

eliminate to the Union our CEO is your

new destiny that was the only way we

were going to get anywhere these days if

there was no alternative know this

matter so you could are you

the management plan was to outmaneuver

the strike leaders by encouraging a new

more compliant company Union which would

settle quickly

Masaru Miyake became the leader of the

breakaway union its slogan was only

those who love the company love the

union they put pressure on the strikers

there's empathy Nick stare so he did

know but they called on us at our homes

and they said to us if you hold out like

this there may be no job for you to come

back to that was the sort of

intimidation there was Dino

communicative but they said if you come

over to the new young you won't have to

repay the money that you've borrowed

from the old Union not the one that's

not so they were caisson octamer ended

after 14 weeks the tactic succeeded

Meraki led the workers who changed their

allegiance back to work still puzzled

insulin Yahoo this day we marched in a

narrow column to make it look as if

there were a lot of us as we marched in

people from the first unit started to

come over instead of the increasing

numbers it was an extremely effective

nicole got a doctor toe so they got cuz

I'm not a high table you got anymore

at the moment we entered the works that

was the end of the first Union you

couldn't not that was me

the company had its victory it was a

turning point the disputes stopped the

first union was disbanded from then on

managers had cooperation and a new

freedom to change working practices at

Toyota the engineer who did most to push

the pace was taiichi ohno patella

protego ji though the kid still

Sushil machines actually work by

themselves meter so someone's standing

over one watching it intently might

think he's working think so the machines

doing fine on its own so I'd say that's

a waste of Manu Hyundai out the corner

mom without MIT's kitty my journey was

only midscale Naga told you all you must

in a syringe if I found a job that was

being done efficiently one day I would

say try doing it with half the number of

men mr. hofstadt skied in it and after a

time when they had come back he said

that they've done that I'd say okay half

the number again yeah Oh hum when they

intersect oh you're not gonna knit did

you mail me on this you at night I'd

have dreams

my job was the last one on the lion I

dream that I wasn't keeping up just as

the engine was about to fall off the end

I'd wake after the shout you're not

gonna talk your things got to that stage

sure not your cure say I'm a rocker this

new tether yeah ultimately and without

way I'm gonna say

if I just called the former and said

stop the waste people wouldn't

understand what I meant no

constitutional because Crocker theatre

thundered they'd say but we've always

done things that way or this man's a

hard worker but I'd say you can't see

straight

that's not real work

you go Tomo again today so unless I

spoke to the worker right on the shop

floor it was difficult to get things to

change have cameras in it immediately I

worked in a particular field isn't it

come the rain will soon as we know with

the introduction of the production line

as a former nurse job changed and you

more they know his role now is to see

that the line ran smoothly

did you before that it felt that wasn't

enough that they weren't getting their

hands dirty they were getting work

you're not you know I get that mr. Ono

would come along and say your job is to

stand here and make absolutely sure that

the line is Olivia properly cutter young

I remember him drawing a chalk circle on

a floor and saying you stand-in here oh

no was the most creative engineer in the

post-war car industry he made the

maximum use of human labour and he

changed the whole system which fed the

assembly line itself

in the traditional method the many

different parts doors or engines had

been pushed out in big numbers and piled

up beside the lion until they were

needed this was Henry Ford's method

single or new-home no talking it is also

super super itself we done that in

post-war Japan especially in the motor

industry we would have gone straight

away there are more those two more

dishes ok goods needed to be turned into

money as quickly as possible

Timothy so we really had to keep our

stocks to the bare minimum you can

imagine a

owners saw that by carrying one or two

months stock tire to a tying up immense

amounts of capital so they reorganized

the factories until the assembly line

and the making of the parks ran at the

same rate parts are only made and pulled

to the assembly line in the quantity

that was needed

the Japanese called it the just-in-time

method more just in time nor its

foundation of auto with the just-in-time

system the most important thing was to

produce only what was needed when

workers needed more parts they

themselves would go and get them talking

you don't worry but if they took

thoughts away without leaving anything

jobs change you would have a problem so

just as in a supermarket where customers

take goods from the shelves in exchange

the most money we used what we call a

Kanban instead of money or a Kanban at

each workstation the Kanban acted as a

sort of order for

Kanban said in the settlement this

number of these parts has been used so

please make this number of the same

parts and place them here now my uncle

or mr. Ono found a stack of doors on

bumpers kennel close that they're made

and left on one side he took it as he

walked past its crash he'd kick it on

say don't make noise stragglers just use

stick to making only what's needed when

it's needed

the Americans use their huge presses to

stamp out the same parts for weeks at

the time the Japanese made fewer

vehicles but a range of models so they

had to use the same presses to make

parts for different cars

we help subbu Shinobu

I wanted the machines to produce sets of

a hundred of one shape and then changed

to another turret little more me

something to slow the production may

have only taken minutes miss hum

changing the machines take hours and

everyone will be standing around doing

nothing wasting time then their CEO Tony

Nara

oh no got the time for changing that

dies in the presses which took up to

three hours in America down to a few

minutes then the same machine that had

just been pressing mudguards could get

on with other parts

[Music]

the oh no revolution to get the best use

of labor and machines was extended to

all the suppliers productivity increased

fourfold in ten years but the factories

were old what was needed was investment

so help came again from me tea yeah I

had to be in court though to show you

can you call Courtney he didn't talk to

me we talked to the Japan develops

impact small and medium enterprise bank

use in order to arrange chief loans for

companies there that was the system we

set up fortunately a lot of people came

forward who were very positive about

wanting to reinvest and we used our good

offices to help them as soon which they

can afford it or say so gonna in

Karnataka don't know sir on the finance

scheme was originally set up to run for

five years it was extended to run to ten

years you put in that time the ministry

was able to arrange about sixty four

billion yen in loans for investment

purposes Ricardo Italy which was an

enormous sum in those days Antigua good

know you can zealously men's the car

firms plan new plants that would be as

modern as any in the world

tow to built the first Motomachi in 1959

takagi new coordinates name we got a

loan from the World Bank I think it was

about a billion yen and I was told okay

you get half get up for the I wasn't

even a section so I said how do I go

about it and they said well that's for

you to work out

yeah so now coach thinking outdoors

Jesus yummy it was a fairly spectacular

Leslie and if everything worked out

successfully it could prove very good

for Roy else's future but if it were to

fall on stony ground then we'd be faced

with a real disaster they chose you

[Music]

so nobody is showing a territory contact

money up until they're among the people

I worked with if a new workman joined

within a few days or so and I found out

his name of course but also where he was

from whether his parents were alive

whether or not he had brothers and

sisters when the new production

facilities came in all that disappeared

economic so cambiar died in that case he

was away to a snotty tyranny so you know

so people are not like them destiny as

the new factories were opened the output

of cars grew by up to 80 percent a year

Japan's economy was roaring into high

growth and the car makers were leading

the way

[Music]

do not test anymore time ha

[Music]

Casino suits are you there without

putting a dick Nakata though they were

secure companies needed more workers

they were recruited from all over Japan

[Music]

due to miscarriage in Tokyo tu y yo no

doing a soda

Chiana etre she shall not have any

hobbies needsto met

[Music]

companies provided housing for their new

workforce and offered security and

lifetime employment

school leavers were trained in company

schools as an investment for the future

[Music]

as sales grew more and more families

became the proud owners of their first

car there was still 103 people for each

car in Japan compared with 3 in America

the stage in a nation's development

known as motorisation was now underway

in 1960 alone 3 million Japanese took to

the road for the first time at driving

schools

but the Japanese car market growing so

fast was closed to the rest of the

world's manufacturers and was a Private

Reserve

Western cars were still ahead

technically but were out of reach they

could be admired at motor shows but

tariffs and other restrictions made sure

they remain exotic and inaccessible the

crew are no guy bukhara could mute to

listen a scene from abroad it may have

looked as if we were being excessively

defensive for all I know but it was

caused by the feeling that we still had

a very long way to go out that you kinda

thought there was a plus and the minus

side to such heavy government

involvement not all firms like the

guidance they were being given by the

bureaucrats

mr. Honda who'd become the leading

motorcycle manufacturer wanted to start

making cars as well

but media tried to stop him

[Music]

at all very money the bureaucrat still

had their heads for the build notions of

central control they were absolutely no

help he wouldn't believe what a hard

time I had with me t anything when I

wanted to make cars they said keep out

Toyota and listen are doing it already

so here are you visit I'm free to do

what I want

the war's over you know combien Amana

Pandava zombunny Cyrano very ID

Dido sonnets Critias radio taniwha says

and I saw me Hockney juuhachi Monday say

que dicen idea Joshua sorry Sakana nani

ga goo percent ozone OG omaha molly

sweeney me she do it so late day

Americanism cicada II know you do

cessation in the 1960s as their

efficiency improved and manufacturing

costs came down to world levels for

Japanese firms looked overseas for new

markets but the export story had started

inauspiciously back in 1957 when tire to

ship their first cars to California

[Music]

Jihan no come here son I said the car

wasn't ready for a mess over and I

didn't want them to sell it there

tonight there but mr. cameo who was head

of Toyota sales said one day we'll have

to do business in America because the

market there is so enormous you give me

a fancy composite magn ago he said you

may not agree with me but we need to

sell some cars there just to establish a

bridgehead

I know it's good run I thought it was a

piece of junk

it was didn't start and call weather

very well we didn't do a lot with it we

just had it around the test fleet and I

could never go home look at it and

thinking it was a joke

was badly made under power terribly

underpowered for American Express ways

Nissan sent a group of engineers to

California and see how their small

dancin cars would stand up to the

American climate and tougher driving

conditions

mr. Tanner Bey was one of the testers

carry on or soak in the hot speeds were

much faster where in Japan it was usual

to travel at 50 to 60 kilometres per

hour

they were driving at 50 to 60 miles per

hour so they were doing nearly twice as

fast don't matter

the first Toyota's were a sales disaster

salud Gallery luckily it had trouble

getting onto the freeways in Los Angeles

because the acceleration wasn't poured

it couldn't get into the flow of traffic

there were a number of problems of this

sort

anyway we couldn't sell the cars we'd

sent over there which in a way isn't

surprising because you can't sell a kind

that can't be driven in Miami technical

skill

the Japanese kept on trying the target

was not so much American cars themselves

as European imports like Volkswagen

Nissan sent mr. Katayama to study their

success Hioki meet a routine

orthogonal humidity Renoir Naropa door

service Nathan after much observation I

discovered the Volkswagens secret was

there after sale service they supplied a

lot of spare parts and train people in

after sales service I mean couldn't

monument in this respect they were much

better than any of the American

companies Katayama

and his team struggled to sell the cars

and provide proper service part cigar

Adriano Caron or Audrey I think ara

since we didn't have a supply of spares

I was forced to remove parts from other

cars we had service the ones that had

broken down tomorrow as this went on our

company cars are gradually being

stripped of more and more of their parts

wanted in some cases we were left with

just an empty shell symbol

they actually not to drop them he hired

a local advertising agency to win over

the American public

what a man discovers his stolen

summoning he does the obvious he gets

out of town

this getaway car is the new Datsun for

tensive and standard equipment includes

white sidewall tires and the interior

how's this for steel up front a soft

padded dash heater defroster seatbelts

and contour seats in the back all vinyl

upholstery wall-to-wall carpeting and

yes even a mesh tray a standard low

price by the late 1960s American car

companies at last began to take notice

this is an easy story to tell all you

have to do is count it starts back in

the 50s on the road count the fun cars

in this picture

go ahead we'll wait

now I had 20 years things have changed

this is the 1970s some people call them

the Japanese beetles their real names

Toyota and Datsun by now the Japanese

had overcome the early quality problems

and were making their mark especially in

California we saw one went out there for

sales being always little nippers cars

running up and down the streets and they

had 15% of the market place or somesuch

number said wait a minute what's going

on here

[Music]

in 1973 the world economy was hit by the

oil crisis petrol prices rose four times

over all car firms suffered including

the Japanese when one company faced

bankruptcy the Japanese response was to

take workers off the assembly line and

send them out to sell the cars

door-to-door when I went to the houses I

found it very hard to deal with

housewives face to face I'd give up very

easily went on like that for quite a

while didn't have much courage you see

when you sing up for UT and I in the sky

my model la única ha ha ha but really

there was nothing for it but to go out

and try to sell the cars because the

company was facing a crisis and we had

no work to do here we were worried about

the situation and well we had to make a

living but in America the all shock gave

the Japanese an unexpected bonus the

United States government without figures

which showed the Japanese dancing had

the best fuel economy of any model on

sale this is one of our most valuable

resources a gallon of gasoline

not be wasted

I don't put it in the aperture my

cooking area well the advertising

manager came up with the slogan Dadson

saves he got the idea from Jesus Saves I

said well that puts me in a bit of a

spot I'm not too sure about using that

in an advertising campaign for money in

a typo you will squeeze every mile out

of every precious truck

say so no local it's a mob thought I

should all know stoke the moola don't

they in fact they sell a six months

backlog of stocks in two months and the

oldest continues to flood in the North

Sea color to market a good other week

they were saying that centers cars

however much they cost and we were

really kept on our toes Geordi by heart

the fella that is Michael Mayer suddenly

what they sold was hot and suddenly what

Detroit's all was not and that was a big

big break if you will for the Japanese

they just happened to be at the right

place at the right time where fuel was

concerned while American gas guzzlers

stood unsold and the workers who built

them were laid off imports rose fast it

was a foreign car but some unemployed

Detroit area residents changed all that

this afternoon frustration bitterness

and most of all anger that's the mood in

Detroit these days and it's chronicled

every night on the local news a lot

better how long have you been off work

well I got a lead up on uh not even a

month ago you feel this had a lot to do

with that the foreign car sir

[Music]

the Japanese tailored their cars for

every export market but actually when

you children are going to start a Karim

Allah yawns ooh cute the kite Animus

americano California shoo-in I know

Jung Joo you know soon you may get the

assassin solitaire clematis it's a lot

Salina reticle to go with him I saw

Oprah Europe Authority look at us

they'd been the first to introduce

robots

they'd make breakthroughs in cleaner

engines to meet anti-pollution

requirements they'd improve quality now

it was the Americans in the Europeans

who came to Japan to see how it had all

been done

I will go back to Nagoya and I'd walk in

those places and I can remember and I'm

sure you can't use this on a tape I say

holy [ __ ] look what's happening here

no7 effective monk rajappan option out

to new Odeon de resulta travel Makar on

amateur a new some venue I'm

particularly a poor 8ug Lemonnier don't

want Paul said to the travail pass

pretty group and you can see that this

is a different world the word pace was

dramatically more rapid than it was in

the United States people were just

working like dogs and there was an

eagerness and an effort that I had never

seen in my entire experience anata no

koe kanga hajiman can you automatically

sign show me Aneesa Reutimann came in a

document zoo can adapt it much much data

cannot an Old South oh it's for its

canisteo Nana do demos the rest of the

world began to learn about flexible

production but just-in-time system

quality control and Japanese labor

relations late fifties if Toyota made

200,000 units of anything it was

surprising now it was 2 million big

difference by 1980 Japanese cars had 20%

of the American market the American

companies faced huge losses and asked

for protection

and so to prevent the once proud

American car industry from going

completely down the drain they actually

asked our government if we would in some

way limit our exports to the United

States Ronnie nothing else I got a tip

Denis I said to them that if you impose

limits and competition you won't help

your industry to get strong again that

way thing is that there and silver now

if your intention is to make your

industry competitive again limits of the

last thing they gave me this job because

he thought Kunal

in the end though because of the

political situation between the two

countries our government set up the

voluntary restraint system in fact it's

a compulsory in voluntary restraint

system sorry that

the Japanese agreed not to ship more

than 1.8 million cars a year to the

United States Europe set limits as well

so to get round the import restrictions

they started making Japanese cars abroad

Toyota began at an old General Motors

plant they sent Japanese managers to

retrain the American workers Yun Jie on

site my yard son Macarena QC assist at

Sandia scientists

Sanjana aguma Gintama morality Elton

John okay I know gigantic are even in

foreign language acoustic

[Music]

scotchy star cochamo Cara Shido

sidonians in tow America didn't do those

on either a some other mono mundial

instead of c4 here to make himself clear

he didn't understand if like you'd

understand I didn't understand what I

mean

Teddy Montoto

you thought of another juvenile

the Japanese transplants grew fast

within a few years they'd open 10 new

factories in the United States super

while she thought ah she deshita

[Applause]

back in Japan the firm's kept up the

pressure for higher productivity

sanguine a UFO phenomenon Pocahontas

don't know McKinney quantity Omega 2

very much

[Music]

[Music]

Viviane [ __ ] what people up everybody

[Music]

you'll get yours it's called

oh you can about them right though it's

means oh cool - returning with a

racially homogeneous worker yes it's

much easier to discuss things in fact

it's perfectly natural for us to have a

unanimous agreement in whatever we

undertake don't go to Corvette's

colonists they've done a lot to share

with their people and to build

participation with their people but

they've also driven their people

literally almost unmercifully now know

primarily in Japan but even in this

country they're driving the people to

levels of worker pace that one wonders

if you can sustain over the long term

nearly 60 years after Ford's first show

the Japanese of the American Way of mass

production Ford badge cars are being

made in Japan again but now it's a

Japanese firm that designs and builds

small models on Detroit's behalf

with Bakkerud on every continent the

Japanese now make 30% of the world's

cars they started late

they kept out imports but with fierce

competition at home they transform the

old Detroit methods their efficiency

became almost unstoppable so we had to

start from scratch again after the war

that's what accounts for the strength of

Japan's industry today that's what I

think because that's what I'm like I'm

not afraid of anything

hmm oh honey who are you except the wife

he thought you know save your pity what

about in Japan we have an old saying the

last parts of the ferret

great thinking ye when a ferret is

cornered and about to document it it

will let out a terrible smell to repeal

its enemy an escape say he losta that's

real now same with human being when

they're under so much pressure that they

feed it's a matter of life or death they

will come up with all kinds of ingenuity

Nong Khai each year a barrel has

abandoned

[Music]

this gonna say the same about the mascot

exceed Escalade

it may be an overstatement to say we

went from being pupils to be in teachers

girl kaga the-- them are but we've been

running for all we're worth after our

competitor your saw recently we've drawn

neck-and-neck and we may win or lose by

a nose Miguel Herrera comes back at them

or is there a store go anyway there are

naturally things that we can still learn

from others he mother mockery dog around

our avocado and it is turned out that

there are some things that others can

learn from us and Collier or Sheriff no

Yuka I'm gonna roll you are addicted

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

you