Japan’s car market is changing, but Mazda sees room for zoom-zoom

Mazda may not boast the production volumes of its Japanese rivals, but since FY2017 marked the fourth successive year the company has reported profit, following the completion of its split from Ford in 2013. But how is it coping with the rapid pace of change in its domestic market?

One issue which has come to prominence in recent years is millennial disinterest in automobiles, both in the West and beyond. “Loss of interest in cars among younger people is a trend that can be seen in Japan as well,” confirms Hidetoshi Kudo, Executive Officer in charge of R&D Administration and Product Strategy, and General Manager, Product Strategy division. ‘Kuruma banare’, which roughly translates as ‘a loss of interest in cars’, has been a recognised phenomenon in Japan since vehicle sales started dropping off towards the end of the 2000s.