Why do the Japanese hate Honda?

[gasoline]

Who can explain the finer points of Japanese business culture?

[93JC]

[thewizard16]

Who can explain the finer points of Japanese business culture?

The Japanese.

I actually find the way they think and feel about business very interesting, but I've only read about it and wouldn't pretend to know enough to comment on it.

[bobwill]

I didn't even know that the japanese didn't like Honda.

[gasoline]

I didn't even know that the japanese didn't like Honda.

Honda does "poorly" in Japan and is seen as "maverick".

[Danish]

Maybe its because Honda doesn't just make cars, they make lawn mowers, motorcycles and they even have a jet airplane concept?

[red_shift]

I don't know if many Japanese feel that way, but on my last trip (two years back), a fellow I was working with there
remarked he likes Nissan more, because of the 'interiors'. He said Honda makes good engines, but
Nissan makes better interiors. 

[93JC]

I wouldn't be surprised if Honda was becoming less popular in Japanese business circles and at large because it is slowly but surely becoming more "American". The powerbase in Honda itself is shifting away from Japan and to American Honda. More major business decisions are being made by American Honda, and American Honda is dictating most of the product development in Honda's most important market: the U.S.

Japanese companies in my experience are xenophobic of 'foreigners', if not outright racist. It's a slap in the face to a Japanese businessman to have to take orders from a gaijin.

[Maxxum]

I wouldn't be surprised if Honda was becoming less popular in Japanese business circles and at large because it is slowly but surely becoming more "American". The powerbase in Honda itself is shifting away from Japan and to American Honda. More major business decisions are being made by American Honda, and American Honda is dictating most of the product development in Honda's most important market: the U.S.

Japanese companies in my experience are xenophobic of 'foreigners', if not outright racist. It's a slap in the face to a Japanese businessman to have to take orders from a gaijin.

Then they should dislike Toyoya because they became more American IMO, though I don't know about their internal command line. They should dislike Nissan because he sold out to a French company. They should dislike Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki as all of them got controlled by a foreign company? maybe, I dunno how they sell their product in their home market.

It has to do with Honda's product or their company ethics in some way.

[93JC]

Then they should dislike Toyoya because they became more American IMO, though I don't know about their internal command line.

Not really. Most of the big decisions are still made in Japan. Almost all of the engineering is done in Japan.

They should dislike Nissan because he sold out to a French company.

A lot of them were pretty upset that Renault took over. Especially after Renault installed Ghosn as CEO. That didn't really go over well, until Nissan started reaping huge profits on their new product. Then most was forgiven.

(Nissan seems pretty fucked in my opinion. A lot like Chrysler, actually. They've ridden the popularity of a few good products, and now there's nothing left in the pipeline.)

They should dislike Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki as all of them got controlled by a foreign company? maybe, I dunno how they sell their product in their home market.

Mitusbishi and Suzuki were/are quite independent, actually. Chrysler owned a portion of Mitusbishi to gain access to Mitsubishi technology, not to tell them what to do. Suzuki partnered with GM in order to get a beachhead in North America, which worked. Suzuki still makes most of its own decisions. A lot fo their US products are Daewoo rebadges, which a lot fo people think was forced upon them by GM, but Suzuki actually owns a portion of GMDAT independently, and Suzuki made the decision to use Daewoo rebadges in the States and Canada.

Mazda's a pretty awkward situation. Legally Ford doesn't own a controlling interest, they never did. Ford owns enough of an interest in the company to veto any board decision they want, which can be good or bad. Ford doesn't really want to muck up Mazda though. They don't make a lot of the big decisions.

It has to do with Honda's product or their company ethics in some way.

Which goes back to what I said. The product is becoming more American. The new Accord (Inspire in Japan) for example. The new Legend. These are North American products, not Japanese. They were designed for the States, designed for the most part in the States, and in the case of the Accord built in the States.

[VTEC_Inside]

Maybe its because Honda doesn't just make cars, they make lawn mowers, motorcycles and they even have a jet airplane concept?

The HondaJet hasnt been a concept for a while.

http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=625115

[SVT_Power]

I didn't even know that the japanese didn't like Honda.

Same

[MX793]

Maybe its because Honda doesn't just make cars, they make lawn mowers, motorcycles and they even have a jet airplane concept?

Toyota dabbles in all kinds of stuff.  Housing, boats, agricultural biotechnology, finance...

[cawimmer430]

Why do the Japanese hate Honda?

[AKL]

HAHAHHA
I love how his rims are still stock 

Oh yeah, I found a hilarous ricer. I didn't have my camera! I had my camera phone, but my memory is at 100% 

It was a completely stock Honda Civic Coupe (01') , with Type R stickers, Mugen, and
"Honda Racing" stickers ALL OVER. He added some Walmart plastic (chrome look-a-like) wheels. It may be a joke considering the ultra use of stickers!

[cawimmer430]

It gets even worse. 

Submariner's car. You do know Submariner, right? 

[AKL]

Oh GOD! 

Where's the barf emoticon!

[omicron]

It gets even worse.

Submariner's car. You do know Submariner, right?

[The Pirate]

That's a sweetass car and a foxy dude right next to it, I have no idea what you guys are all bent out of shape about.

[AKL]

That's a sweetass car and a foxy dude right next to it, I have no idea what you guys are all bent out of shape about.

Dude, what are you smoking? 

[The Pirate]

Dude, what are you smoking?

You drive a Honda too, you know what I'm talking about.

[AKL]

You drive a Honda too, you know what I'm talking about.

Nope 

[cawimmer430]

Oh GOD! 

Where's the barf emoticon!

http://www.my-smileys.de/

[Raghavan]

Maybe its because Honda doesn't just make cars, they make lawn mowers, motorcycles and they even have a jet airplane concept?

Not to mention an awesome looking DH bike.

[sandertheshark]

Who can explain the finer points of Japanese business culture?

"Business is war.  And if war is your business, then business is always good." - Chikuhei Nakajima, founder of Nakajima Aircraft (later Fuji Heavy Industries.)

[TurboDan]

Maybe its because Honda doesn't just make cars, they make lawn mowers, motorcycles and they even have a jet airplane concept?

But they do the same thing in the U.S. too.  Nobody seems to mind here.  But perhaps it's different in Japan, in that they have a different image of Honda than we do; much like Mercedes doesn't sell alot of their products here because they don't want to dilute the luxury brand image?

The lawn mowers and snowmobiles are one thing - but Honda's non-car bread and butter in the U.S. is becoming their marine engine offerings.  They're blowing away the competition in every category, from performance to weight to reliability. 

Here's the Civic Engine:




Here's the Acura RSX engine:



That 225HP Honda outboard hangs off the transom of EVERY United States Coast Guard boat that takes an outboard engine.  Actually, two of them do to make 450HP so they can FLY in pursuit of drug dealers and such.  Those engines are the most badass Honda product I've ever seen.

[TheIntrepid]

The Japanese here (and Asians in general) only use Accords, Odysseys, Corollas, Camrys, and Siennas.

[Raza]

The Japanese here (and Asians in general) only use Accords, Odysseys, Corollas, Camrys, and Siennas.

Yeah, same here.  Asian kids all have Japanese cars.  Indians all drive Camrys.

[heelntoe]

Indians all drive Camrys.

not true

they drive siennas/odessy's if they have kids.