In yesterdays newpaper it stated Toyota would shut down all plants in Japan for 2 weeks due to lack of sales. It further noted that this is the first time in 70 years that they would post a loss for the year. I did not realize Toyota was in business for 70 years. My question is what part did Toyota play in Japan's war production ? What did they make and what did they manufacture ? I know about Kawasaki, Suzuski, and Mitsubishi. If fact a few years back, while traveling in California, the car rental company wanted to give me a free upgrade to a Mitsubishi but I refused. When questioned why, I told them that their companies airplane straffed my uncle in WW 2 !!! I was serious I reused it and took my Malibu. LOL!!!! Best Regards To All, Steve
Until the mid-1930's, Toyota, owned by the Toyoda family, was known as the Toyota Automatic Loom Works, and made industrial looms for the weaving of textiles. The automotive industry in Japan was just getting traction, and Toyota began experimenting with the production of automobiles about 1935-36. During WW II, Toyota, like most other Japanese industrial firms, began producing equipment for Japanese military and naval purposes. In Toyota's case, it was mostly trucks and light vehicles. The Japanese developed an amphibious truck (similar to the DUKW) based on the Toyota truck chassis, but it's not clear how much Toyota had to do with this beyond producing the basic chassis and drive train. Toyota also continued to produce looms and other industrial production equipment during the war, and was indisputably part of the Japanese war production machine.
Thanks gentlemen, Like I said, I had no idea this company was in business that long. It is good to learn something new each day !!
Hey man, it might look ugly, but I drove mine halfway across Asia before I had to change the oil. Uh, wait....
I knew that Toyota had some type of role in the war, kinda of reminded me of Mitsubishi and how they produced a lot of Japan's aircraft
