Tag: Japan
Nokian launching summer tyres in Japan
Nokian has announced that it is introducing its Hakka summer tyre range in Japan. The product line will be available to Japanese consumers beginning in April.
Ghosn’s gone
Roughly two decades after taking the helm at Nissan (and later chairing the Japanese firm’s alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi), the carmaker’s board voted to remove company boss Carlos Ghosn following his arrest in Japan for underreporting his salary.
Apollo Tyres’ Onkar Kanwar receives Japanese Imperial honour
In its 2018 Autumn Imperial Decorations, the Government of Japan has conferred upon Onkar S Kanwar the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star. The chairman of Apollo Tyres Ltd. received this recognition for his contributions towards strengthening the economic relations between Japan and India, and for promoting Japanese company’s entry into the Indian market.
Asahi Kasei: “We have an ambitious plan for Europe”
Close customer proximity can provide measurable and also intangible benefits. Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei aims to achieve both with its newly-established research and development presence in Europe. Tyres & Accessories recently visited the facility to find out more.
Yokohama opens indoor winter tyre test facility
With the opening of a new indoor facility for testing winter tyres, Yokohama Rubber says it can improve the accuracy of its test data and thus develop more advanced technologies. The indoor test centre is located at Yokohama Rubber’s Tire Test Center of Hokkaido (TTCH) facility in Asahikawa City, Japan, and began testing tyres on 5 January ahead of its official inauguration on 30 January.
Toyo exhibits global racing pedigree with Ken Block, BJ Baldwin at Tokyo Auto Salon
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co kicked off its year at the annual Tokyo Auto Salon in mid-January at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City. Exhibiting its eponymous and Nitto brands, the tyre manufacturer presented its motorsport pedigree with guests Ken Block and BJ Baldwin, while Toyo Tires president, Takashi Shimizu, and managing director, Tomoshige Mizutani, were on hand to talk about the company’s history and North American automobile culture.
Bridgestone announces Japan management changes
The remits of a number of the Bridgestone Corporation management team in Japan will alter from the end of March. Minoru Shimizu, currently senior vice-president and senior officer responsible for Bridgestone’s Japan Tire Business, chief executive officer of its Japan Tire strategic business unit and chairman of Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd., will hand over the last of these roles to Masahiro Isobe.
Toyo Tokyo Auto Salon stand features Block and Baldwin
Toyo is aiming to turn heads at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The headliners are Ken Block and BJ Baldwin, who, if you are into motorsports and have access to YouTube, need no introduction. Between the two of them, they are not only responsible for millions of views on their extraordinary videos, but are simultaneously two of the most successful racers in their respective sports.
Artificial muscles: Bridgestone working on walking machine
Bridgestone Corporation doesn’t just make tyres. In fact, the company says it is committed to helping people realise an “active and healthy lifestyle” through the utilisation of technologies and expertise in a whole range of rubber-related fields. This commitment can be seen in a joint development venture it is undertaking to improve the health of senior citizens.
DTM, Hankook to guest star at Super GT finale
Following the season finale at the Hockenheimring in Germany last month, the DTM touring car championship and exclusive tyre partner Hankook are heading for extra time in the land of the rising sun. On 11 and 12 November, the three competing manufacturers, Audi, BMW and Mercedes AMG, will be present at the final of the Super GT series in Motegi/Japan, returning the visit to Hockenheim made by Super GT.
Toyo Proxes OE for Mazda CX-8
The new Mazda CX-8 crossover SUV is scheduled for release in Japan in December. Toyo Tire & Rubber shares that its Proxes R46 tyre has been selected as an original equipment fitment in that market. The Toyo Proxes R46 will be fitted to the CX-8 in size 225/55 R19 99V.
Smart Tyre Concept: SRI’s vision of greener, more intelligent future tyres
The Tokyo Motor Show 2017 is currently taking place, and visitors to the biennial event are amongst the first to see Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ new Smart Tyre Concept from Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd (SRI). The aim of this new concept, shares the tyre maker, is to “aid in the development of tyres that provide balanced safety and environmental performance at higher levels than ever before.” The launch will be followed by the commercial introduction of tyres containing technologies seen in the Smart Tyre Concept, as well as further concept products, over the coming decade.
Yokohama cuts mass by a quarter with limited-run BluEarth tyre
Some companies celebrate their centenary with a giant birthday cake; Yokohama Rubber has done so by developing a tyre. Although described as a concept, the tyre will come to market this year – albeit just in Japan, in one size (205/55R16 91V) and only on a limited basis. The anniversary tyre is called the BluEarth-air EF21. Yokohama Rubber reports that it is based on the “most advanced technologies and the latest design technique for reducing tyres’ weight and environmental impact.” The BluEarth-air EF21 will be introduced to the world at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017, which opens to the press tomorrow and to the public from 28 October.
Yokohama supplying Macau Grand Prix again
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. is once again supplying specialist racing tyres to the Macau Grand Prix. The 64th Macau Grand Prix to be held in Macau (China) 16-19 November 2017. Yokohama Rubber supplied tyres for this event for 33 straight years until 2015. This year marks the 34th time the Company will support the Macau Grand Prix. Yokohama tyres will be the control tyre for the event’s main race, the FIA F3 World Cup, and for the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) race. In addition, they will be the tyre of choice for many cars competing in the event’s support races.
Brexit OE tyre red-alert
Is Brexit going to wreak havoc on the automotive business or is it all just another millennium bug flash-in-the-pan? If a no-deal withdrawal does spell havoc, is it going to impact the tyre business as much as the OEMs?
Continue Reading