Daihatsu dismantling 'Toyota Way' as market changes

What an interesting article.

10 man shaved off the cost of a kei car is huge. Watch out lazy legacy practice; hello competition!

The high quality of Toyota/Daihatsu parts and vehicles have made them the successful companies that they are. There cars are great and they last forever.

Hopefully this shift to Chinese manufactured parts isn't going to put a dent into Toyota/Daihatsu quality.

Good read, thanks for an interesting article.

Excellent article.

I had a Daihatsu a few years back and it is a nice little car.

A very refreshing read.

“We have too many middlemen skimming off,” Shiramizu says. “Getting rid of those middlemen is the shortest cut to cost savings.”

I'd say that's the fundamental problem with doing business in Japan. It's all about everyone getting their cut - and that goes double for the grey / black companies here...

Simplifying Japan's convoluted supply chains could allow serious competitive advantage.

Little Daihatsu's proof of concept with - make no mistake -Toyota's blessing, is the social proof that Japan Inc. needs to unshackle itself from wasteful legacy relationships and practices.

Bad news for hostess clubs!