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Soichiro Honda 本田宗一郎, (1906-1991)
industrialist, born in
Iwata Gun, Shizuoka, Japan.
Honda spent his early childhood helping his father with his bicycle
repair business. At 15, without any formal education, Honda relocated to
Tokyo to look for work. He obtained an apprenticeship at a garage in
1922, and after some vacillation over his employment, he stayed for
six years, working as car mechanic before returning home once more to
start his own car mechanic business in
1928 at the age of 22.
Honda enjoyed racing, and set a speed record in
1936. He suffered in a bad crash, breaking several bones including
both wrists, and was persuaded by his wife to give up racing. Honda
thereafter concentrated on his business, and in
1937 he moved into piston-ring manufacture, setting up Tokai Seiki
Heavy Industry (TSHI). In
1948 Honda had sold TSHI to
Toyota for 450,000 yen (worth about US$1 million in 2003 terms).
In
1948 Honda began producing
motorcycles as president of the
Honda Corporation. Honda turned the company into a billion-dollar
multinational that produced the best-selling motorcycle in the world.
Honda's excellent engineering and clever marketing resulted in Honda
motorcycles out-selling
Triumph and
Harley-Davidson in their respective home markets. In
1959 Honda Motorcycles opened its first dealership in the United
States.
Honda remained president until his retirement in
1973, stayed on as director and was appointed "supreme adviser" in
1983. In retirement Honda busied himself with work connected with the
Honda Foundation. He died in
1992.
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