YAZAKI: Past, present, future. We are connected.

Yazaki’s 75 Years in History

A history that began with the dream of a single man during Japan’s early Showa era (1926-1989)
Let’s take a look back at Yazaki’s growth over the past 75 years.
→ The approach used in this section

HOME Yazaki’s 75 Years in History

Up to1940
1941-1950
1951-1960
1961-1970
1971-1980
1981-1990
1991-2000
2001-2010
2011-2015

1921-1940

Yazaki’s prehistory: 1921 to 1940

Photo: Ceremony for the Ogu Factory office’s completion

1924: COMPANY; On May 27, an ambitious fifteen-year-old named Sadami Yazaki, Yazaki’s future founder, travels from Nakasu Village in Nagano Prefecture’s Suwa District (currently Nakasu, Suwa City) to Tokyo, where he is hired by Trading Company “Morita Shokai” in Nihombashi.

1929: PRODUCTS; Sadami begins selling wire harnesses (“W/H”) for automobiles as a one-man business.

1938: COMPANY; Sadami establishes Yazaki Densen Eigyo-bu as a joint stock company. PIC

1939: COMPANY; The Oku Factory is established in Arakawa Ward, Tokyo, and begins manufacturing general electrical wires and W/H.PIC

1941-1950

Photo:Ceremony for the Shimada Factory’s completion

1941: COMPANY; Yazaki Densen Kogyo K.K. is established and absorbs Densen Eigyo-bu.

1943: COMPANY; The Washizu Factory (currently the Washizu Branch Factory of the Makinohara Factory) opens.

1947: COMPANY; The Head office opens (Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato Ward, Tokyo). PIC

1948: COMPANY; The Shimada Factory opens.PIC

1949: PRODUCTS; The company begins selling Japan's first vinyl electrical wires for automobiles.

1950: COMPANY; The automobile manufacturing arm of Toyo Tokei is split off and established as Nihon Jidosha Keiki K.K. in Shibaura, where it begins manufacturing meters.

1951-1960

Photo: Reverberatory furnace used to melt copper

1951: COMPANY; The Numazu Factory opens.

: COMPANY; Branch offices are opened in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai and Fukuoka.

1955: PRODUCTS; Sales of the first PVC wire in the general electrical wire industry begin.

1957: PRODUCTS; Japan’s first rotary (“Thomas”) furnace is installed in the Numazu Factory.PIC

1958: PRODUCTS; Sales of Japan’s first parking meters begin.

: OTHER; The Yazaki Health Insurance Association is established.

1959: COMPANY; Yazaki Parts Co., Ltd. is established.

: COMPANY; Nihon Jidosha Keiki K.K. changes its name to Yazaki Meter Co., Ltd.PDF

: COMPANY; The Tenryu Factory opens.PDF

: OTHER; The inaugural edition of Yazaki News is published.PDF

1960: COMPANY; The Gotemba Factory opens.PDF

: PRODUCTS; The “TCO-8,” Japan’s first tachograph, goes on the market. PDF PIC

: PRODUCTS; Electric wires for devices and other products receive Japan’s first UL certification for electric wires.

1961-1970

Photo: Ceremony king the opening of Thai Yazaki Electric Wire

1961: COMPANY; The Susono Factory (later the Kisegawa Factory and currently the Susono Factory) opens.PDF

: PRODUCTS; Production of wooden drums and vinyl tape and processing of scrap wire begin.PDF

: OTHER; Yazaki Gijuku is launched.PDF

1962: COMPANY; The Ohama Factory opens.PDF

: GLOBAL; Thai Yazaki Electric Wire Co., Ltd. is established in Bangkok, Thailand.PDF PIC

: PRODUCTS; The “Christmas wire set” obtains UL certification and goes on sale in the U.S.PDF PIC

1963: COMPANY; The Hamana Factory opens.

: COMPANY; Yazaki Densen Kyogyo K.K. changes its name to Yazaki Corporation. The company’s manufacturing arm is spun off as Yazaki Electric Wire Co., Ltd.PDF

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the LP10 LP gas meter begin.PDF

: OTHER; The Yazaki Employee Labor Union is established.PIC

: OTHER; The Tamagawa University referred student scheme begins (continued until 1981)PDF PIC

1964: COMPANY; Yazaki Resources Co., Ltd. is established.

: GLOBAL; The U.S.A. office opens in Los Angeles, U.S.A.PDF

: OTHER; The “Fuji High School,” a correspondence education program, is started with Tamagawa with Tamagawa Academy (continued until 1973).PDF PIC

1965: COMPANY; Yazaki Industrial Machine Co., Ltd. is established.

: GLOBAL; The Australia office is established in Melbourne, Australia.PDF

1966: GLOBAL; The European resident office is established in Basel, Switzerland.PDF

: OTHER; A correspondence education program is launched with the Sanno Institute of Management.

1967: COMPANY; The Haibara Factory (currently the Monozukuri Center) opens.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of taxi meters begin.PDF

1968: COMPANY; The Numazu Center opens (aggregation of management functions).PDF

: GLOBAL; The Taiwan district office opens in Taipei, Taiwan.PDF

: OTHER; A correspondence education program is launched with Naniwa Women’s Junior College (continued until 1974).PIC

1970: PRODUCTS; Sales of Aroace absorption chillers begin. PDF PIC

1971-1980

Photo: Establishment of Yazaki-Torres Manufacturing Inc.

1971: COMPANY; The Fuji Factory opens.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of Arokko LP gas alarms begin.

1973: GLOBAL; Yazaki-Tores Manufacturing Incorporated is established in Manila, the Philippines.PDF

: COMPANY; The Niimi Factory opens.

: COMPANY; The Tochigi Factory opens.PDF

: OTHER; Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress pay a visit to Ikkyuso Guesthouse.

1974: COMPANY; Yazaki’s founder, Sadami Yazaki, passes away suddenly at the age of 64. Yasuhiko Yazaki assumes the presidency.PIC

: PRODUCTS; The “Yazaki Experimental Solar House,” a facility equipped with the world’s first solar-powered air-conditioning and hot-water system, is completed at the Hamana Factory.

: PRODUCTS; The Aro Friend 8 electronic taxi meter goes on sale.

1976: COMPANY; The Head Office moves to Mita, Minato Ward, Tokyo.PIC

: PRODUCTS; The Yuwaita solar water heater goes on sale.PIC

1977: PRODUCTS; The Blue Panel and Hot Water-Fired Aroace solar collectors go on sale.

: OTHER; The first Domestic Summer Camp is held.

1978: COMPANY; May 27 is established as “Founding Day.”

: COMPANY; The Hamamatsu Factory opens.

1979: PRODUCTS; Production of automotive junction blocks begins.

1980: COMPANY; The Ryuyo Factory opens. PDF

: GLOBAL; Yazaki United Kingdom Ltd. is established in London, United Kingdom.PDF

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “YAZAC System” operational control system begin.

1981-1990

Photo:Taiyo-no-Yakata

1982: COMPANY; The “Yazaki Technical Center” (currently the Research & Technology Center) is established in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture.PIC

: GLOBAL; Autopartes y Arneses de Mexico S.A. de C.V. is established in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. PDF

: OTHER; The Yazaki Memorial Foundation for Science and Technology is established.PIC

: OTHER; Overseas study at the Toyota Technological Institute begins.

1983: PRODUCTS; Sales of “Achichi” solar water heating system begin.

1984: PRODUCTS; Production of low voltage wire for automobiles with compressed conductor with thin insulation (CAVS) begins.

1985: COMPANY; The Yazaki Electronics Center opens in Haibara-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture (currently Makinohara City).

: OTHER; The first overseas summer camp is held.

1986: COMPANY; The Osaka Factory (currently the Daito Factory) opens.PDF

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Saltano de Ovar-Productos Electricos, Ltda is established in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.PDF

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Allied (NZ) Ltd. is established in Auckland, New Zealand.PDF

: PRODUCTS; Sales of “Acemic” series of products that protects against damage by static electricity and electromagnetic waves begin.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “Bulldog” comprehensive LP gas safety system begin.

1987: GLOBAL; VDO Yazaki Limited is established in Barrie, Canada.PDF

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “Taxi Multiprinter,” the first device capable of issuing taxi receipts in Japan, begin.

: PRODUCTS; Production of “Combination Meter,” which uses completely trans-illuminated analog-electronic dials, begin.

: PRODUCTS; Production of “Non-Halogen Flame-Retardant Cable for Automobiles” begins.

1988: GLOBAL; Yazaki United Kingdom, Ltd.’s Gothenburg Branch opens in Gothenburg, Sweden.

: GLOBAL; (Tianjin) Tianmei Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. is established in Tianjin, China.

: GLOBAL; EDS Engineering GmbH is established in Cologne, West Germany (now Germany).

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Monel S.A. is established in Madrid, Spain.

: OTHER; Summer Camp in Japan is held for the first time.

1989: GLOBAL; PT. EDS Manufacturing Indonesia is established in Jakarta, Indonesia.PDF

1990: OTHER; The overseas study program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) begins (concluded in 2005).

1991-2000

Photo: Yazaki International QCC Presentation

1991: GLOBAL; Yazaki United Kingdom, Ltd.’s Turin Branch Office opens in Turin, Italy.

: GLOBAL; The Yazaki Australia Vaitele Factory opens in Apia, Western Samoa (now Samoa).PDF

: OTHER; Yazaki Kyukamura opens on Iejima, Okinawa PrefecturePIC

1992: GLOBAL; Yazaki United Kingdom, Ltd.’s Belgium Branch Office opens in Opglabbeek, Belgium.

: OTHER; Yazaki’s employee pension fund system is established.PDF

1993: OTHER; The first Overseas Adventure School begins.

1994: GLOBAL; Yazaki Debnar Slovakia spol. S.r.o. is established in Prievidza, Slovakia.PDF

: OTHER; The first Yazaki International QCC Presentation Meet is held.PDF

1995: GLOBAL; Yazaki’s first business base in Singapore is established.

: GLOBAL; Yazakisa Yazaki Sabanci Otomotiv Kablo Donanimi San. Ve Tic. A.S. is established in Kuzuluk, Turkey. PDF PIC

: GLOBAL; Yazaki EDS Vietnam, Ltd. is established in Binh Duong, Vietnam.PIC

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Ciemel S.A. is established in Chia, Colombia. PDF PIC

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Argentina S.r.l. is established in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

: PRODUCTS; Production of the world’s first “analog virtual image display” begins.PIC

1996: PRODUCTS; Yazaki’s agricultural business is launched.

: OTHER; The Yazaki Fuji Training Center opens in Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture.PDF

1997: GLOBAL; Tata Yazaki Autocomp Limited is established in Pune, India.PDF

: GLOBAL; Yazaki do Brasil Ldta. is established in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

: OTHER; The Yazaki Global Environment Charter is enacted.PDF

1998: COMPANY; Y-CITY is opened in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, centralizing head office functions.PIC

: PRODUCTS; Sales of “Ecology Cables” begins.

1999: GLOBAL; Yazaki Europe, Ltd.’s Eindhoven Branch Office opens in Helmond, the Netherlands.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Europe, Ltd.’s Paris Branch Office opens in Paris, France.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Europe, Ltd.’s Zagreb Branch Office opens in Zagreb, Croatia.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of “DTG1,” the industry’s first digital tachograph, begin.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of “Lead-Free Vinyl Tape” and “Ecology Tape” begin.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the on-board ETC device “ETC-YT1” begin.

2000: COMPANY; The Hotozawa Factory (currently the Hotozawa Branch Factory of the Susono Factory) opens.PIC

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Morocco S.A. is established in Tangier, Morocco.

: OTHER; Yazaki Valente captures its first championship in the Tokai Adult Soccer League.PIC

2001-2010

Photo: Yazaki’s wood biomass business

2001: GLOBAL; Yazaki de Nicaragua S.A. is established in Leon, Nicaragua.

: GLOBAL; UAB Yazaki Wiring Technologies Lietuva is established in Klaipeda, Lithuania.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Wiring Technologies Czech S.r.o. is established in Pilsen, Czech Republic.

2002: COMPANY; Yasuhiko Yazaki is named Chairman and Shinji Yazaki becomes the new President.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Ukraine L.L.C. is established in Uzhgorod, Ukraine.

2003: GLOBAL; Yazaki Romania S.r.l. is established in Ploiesti, Romania.

: PRODUCTS; Yazaki introduces the industry’s first lead-free vinyl electric wire and cables.

2004: PRODUCTS; Yazaki’s environment and recycling business is launched.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of Yazaki’s “Load Indicator” begin.

2005: GLOBAL; Yazaki Uruguay S.A. is established in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

2006: COMPANY; The Yazaki “Kami Fusen” nursing care center is established within Y-CITY.PIC

: GLOBAL; Arnecom de El Salvador S.A. de C.V. is established in Santa Ana, El Salvador.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Bulgaria Eood is established in Yambol, Bulgaria.

: GLOBAL; Hesto Harnesses (Proprietary) Ltd. is established in Stanger, South Africa.

: PRODUCTS; Yazaki’s food recycling business is launched.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “YAZAC-eye” driving recorder begin.

: OTHER; Yazaki participates in a forest volunteers’ cooperative forestation project in Yusuhara Town, Takaoka District, Kochi Prefecture for the first time.

2008: COMPANY; A wood pellet factory operated by the Yusuhara Pellet Co., Ltd., a quasi-public corporation sponsored by Yazaki, opens in Yusuhara Town, Kochi Prefecture.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of Bio-Aroace, the world’s first absorption chiller fueled by wood pellets, begin.

: PRODUCTS; Yazaki’s Telematics Services, which can manage the operating conditions of commercial vehicles, begin.

2009: GLOBAL; Yazaki Tunisia S.a.r.l is established in Gafsa, Tunisia.

: GLOBAL; Korea Agritecno Yazaki Co., Ltd. is established in Seoul, South Korea.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “U-Smart,” the industry’s first LP gas ultrasonic gas meter, begin.PIC

2010: PRODUCTS; Sales of “Eco Cute Solar Heat,” jointly developed with TEPCO and Denso, begin.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of “F Earth,” a VVF wire with ground cable, begin.

2011-2015

Photo: Tokyo Motor Show 2015

2011: GLOBAL; Yazaki Automotive Products Poland Sp. z.o.o. is established in Mikołów, Poland.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the 600v “YAWARAKA” wire and cable series begin.

2012: COMPANY; Yazaki Energy System Corporation is established.

: COMPANY; The Monozukuri Center opens in Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Cambodia Products Co., Ltd. is established in Koh Kong, Cambodia.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Volga L.L.C. is established in Nizhegorodskaya, Russia.

: GLOBAL; Yazaki Systems Technologies France S.A.S.’s Novo Mesto Branch Office is established in Novo Mesto, Slovenia.

: PRODUCTS; Sales of the industry’s first portable LPG generator system begin.

2013: GLOBAL; Yazaki Paraguay S.r.l. is established in Mariano Roque Alonso, Paraguay.

2014: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “iesta” standard AC charger for electric and plug-in hybrid begin.PIC

: PRODUCTS; Yazaki, Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Tsusho Corporation jointly develop the world's first “car to car” technology for recycling the copper contained in W/H.

2015: PRODUCTS; Sales of the “DTG7” hybrid digital tachograph begin.PIC