Honda began in 1946 as the Honda Technical Research Institute, building engines and tools. The name was changed to Honda Motor Company in 1948.
The luxury marque of Japan-based automaker Honda Motor Company, Ltd., the Acura Automobile Division was launched in March of 1986 and sold its one-millionth vehicle in 1994.

Toyota started out in 1933 as the automobile department of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd., in Japan. In 1937 the Toyota Motor Company was founded, and by 1947 over 100,000 vehicles had been produced.
Toyota launched its Lexus luxury division in 1989 with the introduction of the LS 400 and ES 250.

The Nissan Motor Company Ltd. began as Jidosha Seizo Co., Ltd. in 1933. In 1958 Nissan began exporting passenger cars to the U.S., and two years later the Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. was established. In 1981 the brand name on overseas models was changed from Datsun to Nissan.
Nissan launched Infiniti, its luxury division, in 1989 with a unique advertising campaign and the luxurious Q45. In 2003 Infiniti surpassed the 100,000 annual sales milestone for the first time in its 14-year history.

Founded in 1920 as a cork manufacturer, Mazda now sells cars and trucks in more than 120 countries. In 1970 Mazda entered the U.S. market, and today more than one-third of Mazda vehicles sold in the U.S. are produced there. Earning a strong reputation on its rotary-engine vehicles, Mazda introduced the world's only rotary-engine sports car in 2003: the 2004 RX-8. The Ford Motor Company owns about one-third of Mazda.

Mitsubishi Motors became Japan's first volume car producer with the 1917 Model A. Initially Mitsubishi focused on commercial truck production, but by 1964 the model line had expanded into a complete range of passenger vehicles.

Founded in 1968 by two Philadelphia entrepreneurs, Subaru of America (SOA) formed an alliance with Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) of Tokyo and became the exclusive U.S. importer of its Subaru brand of vehicles. SOA was the first company to offer a complete line of front- and all-wheel-drive cars, for which they are best known. FHI's factory in Ota City, Japan, and Subaru-Indiana Automotive, Inc., (SIA), located near Lafayette, Ind., manufacture all U.S.-marketed vehicles.

Suzuki Motor Corporation, founded in 1920, markets its automobiles globally in 127 countries. In addition to automobiles, Suzuki also produces motorcycles, outboard motors and generators. General Motors currently owns a 20 percent stake in Suzuki.