In the wake of World War II, Japanese automakers were frowned upon in the USA. We won’t highlight the names reserved for Japanese cars, but they were seldom spoken of with any reverence, making it difficult for the manufacturer to crack into what was, at the time, the largest automotive market in the world. Automotive manufacturing was an important cornerstone Japan used to rebuild society and industry, but if the country was to truly reestablish itself, it needed to break out beyond its own borders.
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