Jujiro Matsuda
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese industrialist and businessman who founded automaker Mazda Motor Corporation
.
, Jujiro Matsuda was born in Hiroshima
. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith in Osaka
at the age of fourteen and invented the "Matsuda-type pump" in 1906. Later, he took over management of the foundry at which he apprenticed and changed the name of the organization to "Matsuda Pump Partnership." He was forced out of his company, but started an armament
manufacturer soon after - the eponymously named Matsuda Works. Matsuda would see his fledgling company's fortunes improve when it was commissioned as a supplier to the Tsar
of Russia
as well as manufacturing the Type 99 rifle
for the Japanese military.
when he was asked to take over management of floundering artificial cork
manufacturer , which was placed into receivership by its creditors when the market for artificial cork dried up following the end of World War I
. The unprofitable cork business ceased, and Matsuda focused on tool manufacturing. 1931 oversaw the introduction of the "Mazdago
" motorized tricycle, manufactured in what is now Fuchū city
and the company, now known as , would set its focus on motor vehicle manufacturing.
The Toyo Kogyo headquarters saw heavy damage on August 6, 1945 upon the bombing of Hiroshima
. The Fuchū city
plant, 5.3 kilometers from the site of the explosion was left relatively unscathed and Matsuda offered its use for the Hiroshima bureau of NHK
.
Matsuda was not accused of being nor was he charged as a war conspirator, and a revitalized Toyo Kogyo was the main force behind repairing the damaged economy of Hiroshima following World War II
. In 1950, Toyo Kogyo provided startup for a baseball
team, the Hiroshima Carp
.
His adopted son-in-law, Tsuneji Matsuda succeeded him as president of Toyo Kogyo, and oversaw the expansion of its automobile division until 1979, when Ford Motor Company
took a 25% equity stake in Toyo Kogyo.
The alliance with Ford led to the divestiture of shares from the Matsuda family and the change of Toyo Kogyo into Mazda Motor Corporation in 1984. The Matsuda family still owns a controlling interest in the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
.
Matsuda died on March 9, 1952. For his contributions to Hiroshima Prefecture
, a bronze statue of Jujiro Matsuda was created in 1965 by Onomichi, Hiroshima
native, sculptor Katsuzou Entsuba and was erected at the Minami-ku park.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese industrialist and businessman who founded automaker Mazda Motor Corporation
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
.
Early life
The son of a fishermanFisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
, Jujiro Matsuda was born in Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
at the age of fourteen and invented the "Matsuda-type pump" in 1906. Later, he took over management of the foundry at which he apprenticed and changed the name of the organization to "Matsuda Pump Partnership." He was forced out of his company, but started an armament
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
manufacturer soon after - the eponymously named Matsuda Works. Matsuda would see his fledgling company's fortunes improve when it was commissioned as a supplier to the Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as well as manufacturing the Type 99 rifle
Type 99 Rifle
The was a bolt-action rifle of the Arisaka design used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.-History:During the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, the Japanese soon found that the 8×57mm IS cartridge the Chinese used was superior to the 6.5×50mm cartridge of the Type 38 rifle,...
for the Japanese military.
Toyo Kogyo and Mazda
By 1921, Jujiro Matsuda was a wealthy man thanks to his previous business ventures. He moved back to HiroshimaHiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
when he was asked to take over management of floundering artificial cork
Cork (material)
Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
manufacturer , which was placed into receivership by its creditors when the market for artificial cork dried up following the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The unprofitable cork business ceased, and Matsuda focused on tool manufacturing. 1931 oversaw the introduction of the "Mazdago
Mazda Mazdago
The Mazdago was a three-wheeled open "truck" first produced in 1931 that resembled a motorcycle with an open wagon or truck bed. It was steered with handlebars and powered with an air-cooled 1-cylinder engine/transmission combination unit. It was sold by Mitsubishi in Japan.It was considered to...
" motorized tricycle, manufactured in what is now Fuchū city
Fuchu, Hiroshima (Aki)
is a town located in Aki District, Hiroshima, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 49,839 and a density of 4,769.28 persons per km². The total area is 10.45 km².It has the headquarters of Mazda.-External links:*...
and the company, now known as , would set its focus on motor vehicle manufacturing.
The Toyo Kogyo headquarters saw heavy damage on August 6, 1945 upon the bombing of Hiroshima
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
. The Fuchū city
Fuchu, Hiroshima (Aki)
is a town located in Aki District, Hiroshima, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 49,839 and a density of 4,769.28 persons per km². The total area is 10.45 km².It has the headquarters of Mazda.-External links:*...
plant, 5.3 kilometers from the site of the explosion was left relatively unscathed and Matsuda offered its use for the Hiroshima bureau of NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
.
Matsuda was not accused of being nor was he charged as a war conspirator, and a revitalized Toyo Kogyo was the main force behind repairing the damaged economy of Hiroshima following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1950, Toyo Kogyo provided startup for a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team, the Hiroshima Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
.
His adopted son-in-law, Tsuneji Matsuda succeeded him as president of Toyo Kogyo, and oversaw the expansion of its automobile division until 1979, when Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
took a 25% equity stake in Toyo Kogyo.
The alliance with Ford led to the divestiture of shares from the Matsuda family and the change of Toyo Kogyo into Mazda Motor Corporation in 1984. The Matsuda family still owns a controlling interest in the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
.
Matsuda died on March 9, 1952. For his contributions to Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, a bronze statue of Jujiro Matsuda was created in 1965 by Onomichi, Hiroshima
Onomichi, Hiroshima
is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, facing the Inland Sea.As of January 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 148,085 and a population density of 520 persons per km². The total area is 284.85 km²...
native, sculptor Katsuzou Entsuba and was erected at the Minami-ku park.