Mazda- The Success Story of Postwar Hiroshima

By Takashi Doyama

70 years ago today, at 8:58AM local time, Hiroshima was struck with the worst possible weapon that could be used in any warfare; the nuclear bomb. The city was flattened, and as many as 70,000 died. However, like other cities in Japan, the people got back up, rebuilt the city and carried on with their lives. Ever since, people of Hiroshima have two very strong beliefs; one is that nuclear attacks should never happen again anywhere, and that they have a special love for their local company; Mazda.

So, why is Mazda so loved in Hiroshima that they have a "Mazda Hospital" and a "Zoom-Zoom" Pharmacy? Mazda, known as the Toyo Kogyo company at the time immediately opened up to the atomic bomb victims so they could get medical attention, despite not having a hospital. The factory became full of citizens that were clinging onto their life, and their family members searching for their loved ones.

Toyo Kogyo continued to help the city rebuild itself after the war. Toyo Kogyo lent the local government the buildings they required to have a functioning government. The three-wheeled trucks they sold carried the building materials required to rebuild the city. The factory became the epicentre of Hiroshima’s resurrection.

Now run under Tsuneji Matsuda, Toyo Kogyo wanted to shift away from three-wheeled trucks to passenger cars in the early 60’s. At that time, American and European car manufacturers had exported cars to Japan, and the new "People’s Car" idea was being suggested by the government. Toyo Kogyo was quick to respond, and produced the R360, an affordable "kei" car that was cheaper than its rival, the Subaru 360.

The chief engineer behind the R360 was a man named Kennichi Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本健一, pictured above), a talented engineer that was building up reputation within Toyo Kogyo. Underneath his talent was his hardship. His lifetime ambition of being an aircraft engineer halted following Japan’s defeat. Upon his return to Hiroshima, his hometown, he discovered that his younger sister was killed instantly by the atom bomb, and his mother survived, screaming in agony. Having felt that he lost everything, and unable to cope after the war, he drank in the post-war black markets, occasionally ending up in fights. His mother, wishing for the well-being of his son, pulled strings so Kennichi could be employed.

At first, he undermined his workplace, Toyo Kogyo, as a producer three-wheelers. His morale remained low, until one fateful Sunday, he saw people working under the intense sun, literally rebuilding Hiroshima. They carried cement and steel across Hiroshima, using the three-wheeled trucks his workplace had built. He soon picked up both a frantic diligence and natural leadership, with his juniors eventually knowing him as "aniki" (Japanese:兄貴), meaning older brother in Japanese.

Above: "Tokushinho will kill Japan" by Soichiro Honda, Asahi News dated 25th October 1962

At the start of the 60’s, panic shook the Japanese car industry. Rumour spread that the government wanted to merge car makes into three large companies. This rumour was confirmed when the government proposed a law known as the "Tokushinho", with similar principles, as a solution to make Japanese car makes competitive worldwide. Toyota and Nissan’s existence was firm. Prince merged with Nissan. Hino resorted to trucks. Honda bet their existence on Formula 1. Mazda desperately needed something unique to survive.

Above: Tsuneji Matsuda　(Japanese: 松田恒次), former CEO of Mazda

Fortunately for Mazda, their CEO was Tsuneji Matsuda, a man with a strong passion and love for Hiroshima, and had the eccentricity that rivalled Soichiro Honda. So much so, that the pair were known as "Honda of the east, Matsuda of the west". Upon hearing of NSU’s success at the Wankel engine in 1959, Matsuda began negotiations with NSU. With no time to spare, Mazda grasped its opportunity in 1960 by reaching partial agreement, with full formal contracts signed in 1961, a contract that lasted 10 years.

Left: NSU prototype engine. Right: Chatter marks

This was by no means a cheap contract; it cost Mazda 280 million yen which equalled the monthly wage of 8000 workers. On top of this, any patent acquired by Mazda was automatically given to NSU, and Mazda had to pay loyalty for every engine sold.

Above: The 47 Ronin, famous for avenging their master, in exchange for their own lives

Tsuneji Matsuda appointed Kennichi Yamamoto as a leader of this audacious plan. A plan that Mazda’s fate depended on. Yamamoto’s leadership blossommed in the project. Junior engineers joined Yamamoto on the project and worked endlessly, sometimes sacrificing sleep in the process. As time passed, a camaraderie developed, and these 47 engineers collectively named themselves "The 47 Ronin of the Rotary Engine", after the famed, loyal samurais who avenged their master.

However, the project was met with difficulties. Mazda engineers who examined the NSU prototype found that the engine was far from perfect. Though they were promised smoothness, the engine was smooth only at high revs and shook hideously at lower revs. White smoke poured out due to seal incompetence, and the engine stopped after 40 hours, as the apex seals had eroded the housing. The chatter marks it had left were nicknamed the "Devil’s nail markings". Despite making over 1000 prototypes, no-one could address any of the symptoms of the NSU prototype. Engineers went as far as using animal bone to create prototype apex seals, but this did not have any effect.

Above: Interview scene from NHK’s Documentary Project X, episode 28. Engineers thought of solutions day in and day out.

The rotary project met tough criticism. Engineering authorities doubted its success, and Japanese scholars were keen to point out its flaws, whilst praising the supposedly "perfect" piston engine. The confidence of the younger "Ronins" wobbled; however they were still determined to work with Yamamoto after hearing that he studied until late as he returned home. Opinion within Mazda also denounced the efforts of the "Ronins", fuelled by the lack of success of other western, well-established marques. Little did the critics know, that these "Ronins" would overcome these problems in less than two years.

Above: The Rotary 47 Ronin continued to work despite criticisms and pressure

The first breakthrough came when one of the "Ronins" suggested to use rubber as a material for an oil seal. At first the idea was laughed at. However, as they tried rubber, they found out that the combustion temperature was a lot lower than previously thought. The white smoke, a sign of oil leak, disappeared. Then, they faced the chatter marks, caused by resonance of apex seals. First, they drilled small holes in apex seals, but realised that this was not suitable for mass production. Fortunately, their co-workers at Japan Carbon offered a helping hand, and they co-developed a strong apex seal made of aluminium and carbon.

With these issues solved, they were now able to put this in a car. The car, with futuristic styling, was called the Mazda Cosmo Sport, a flagship with a more complete Wankel engine. With the efforts of the determined "47 Rotary Ronins", Mazda had secured itself a place in the world of cars, and its rotary engine continues to be the symbol of the company. The men that have wished and worked unsociable hours for the rejuvenation of Hiroshima and the establishment of their company, created an automotive landmark in the process of making Mazda a company that many in Hiroshima could be proud of.

Their success with the rotary engine also created their company culture, the "rotary spirit", they very spirit that described their resilience when developing the rotary engine. Against the harsh criticisms of sceptics, the effects of the Oil Crisis, and against the demeaning criticisms from their colleagues, they never gave up. In 1991, a plinth was erected celebrating Mazda’s victory in the Le Mans 24 hour Endurance Race. Inscribed is a motto of Kennichi Yamamoto "飽くなき挑戦” (pronounced "Akunaki Chousen"), meaning "A challenge that never bores". Their continuous challenge, which had always been difficult, all paid off in the end, created cars that are adored by many, and can only be produced by Mazda.

Above: Engineers rejoice at a successful experiement of the rotary engine

Sources:

NHK Project X, The Challengers, Episodes 28-29 (プロジェクトX挑戦者たち）

Various Wikipedia articles

Various webpages from Mazda

The blog of Susumu Suto, an engineer involved in the development of the FD3S

Interview exerpt of Kennichi Yamamoto, dated 22nd Feb 1997

The History of Engine Technology by Dr Shuji Tanaka

The Development of the Rotary Engine, by Kennichi Yamamoto, quoted 1996