In America and China many 「トヨタ」 (Toyota) cars are being recalled because there’s a possibility that an ill-fitting floor mat can cause the accelerator pedal to stick which could cause an accident.
And now 「ホンダ」 (Honda) cars overseas are being recalled too.
I heard that Toyota and Honda dealers in those countries are losing a lot of potential business because the public has become hesitant to trust the safety of those cars now.
「トヨタ」 (Toyota)
「ホンダ」 (Honda)
This issue isn’t an issue at all in Japan.
Most Japanese feel that the cars being recalled overseas are different because they were made in America or China.
Japanese cars in Japan are made here…and anything “Made in Japan” is seen as superior in quality and safety.
So, Toyota and Honda dealers here in Japan aren’t feeling the affects of the recall overseas at all.
In fact, Toyota is the best-selling car in Japan…and has been for many years.
Has your image of Japanese cars changed because of this recall?
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On a totally unrelated subject…
I found out that Gene Simmons (of the rock band KISS) did a TV commercial in America for the Dr. Pepper soft drink.
His son is also in the commercial.
As I don’t live in America, I don’t normally watch America TV…but thanks to the internet in general, and YouTube specifically, I was able to see it.
It’s here:
Do you live in America? Have you seen this commercial on TV before?
In Japan, KISS has done a few TV commercials too.
I wrote a post about them last year. Click here to see that post.
Tokyo Five 
Any car made in Japan can never ever go wrong ok with an exception that certain models are expensive in terms of spare parts. Toyota is one of the best selling cars where Im from.
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I believe Toyota is currently the world’s number one car maker.
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Absolutely!!
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My dad and I were in big shock when we were heard about this recall, because we had recently bought a Corolla 09/10 Model. But luckily my dad requested that the car be 100% Japan made.
Can never go wrong with ‘Made in Japan’ I suppose.
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Getting a Japanese product that is made in Japan when you don’t live here must be expensive.
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Indiana Colts versus New Orleans Saints.
The commercial without Nick is just shorter. They just edit out his portion and shorten it.
The Bruce Kulick song is called HAND OF THE KING. You can hear the full song free on his website Kulick.net.
You should try to do one of your interviews with the Bruce!!
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>The Bruce Kulick song is called HAND OF THE KING. You can hear the full song free on his website Kulick.net.
I just checked it out. It’s good.
Thanks.
>You should try to do one of your interviews with the Bruce!!
I did an interview with Bruce Kulick about eighteen months ago.
It’s here:
http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~tokyo5/interviews.html#kulick
But actually, you made me think…since he has a new album and it’s been awhile since the interview he did with me–I just asked him if he’d do another.
We’ll see.
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The lack of recalls in Japan may point to lapse in assembly quality abroad. But whatever country the problems originate from, the defective cars carry the Toyota and Honda nameplates. And that is probably enough to make some consumers to steer away from purchasing Japanese (but made somewhere else) cars. It’s tragic to be sure.
And to answer your question, I once thought American made Toyotas and Hondas were aptly, but not exceptionally, manufactured. Now my perception of these cars has taken a sudden dip.
I still hold, however, that many cars rolling out of plants in Japan are some of the most reliable ever made.
It’s not the ability to make reliable cars that I doubt, it’s the ability to do it consistently on a global scale.
http://bluediode.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/unreliable-japanese-cars/
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Well, hopefully both manufacturers can get past this problem soon.
Because, as I live in Japan, a major Japanese corporation having financial problems affects the economy.
As I wrote above, Toyota and Honda‘s overseas recalls aren’t currently affecting Japan. They’re barely even mentioned in the news here.
But, on the other hand, Japan’s largest airline carrier, Japan Airlines, is getting financial assistance from the government.
This is currently news here in Japan.
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I don’t think my comment got through since I attached some links.
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Yes, it was in my “Spam” folder…but I added it to this post.
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I have seen this many times. There is also a version where they (thankfully) edit out Nick.
I don’t know why celebrity offspring are so off-putting to me. I will say this, I really like the new Bruce Kulick song with Nick singing…
There is also going to be a new Cherry Dr. Pepper with all four members of the “current” KISS that is going to be played during the Super Bowl.
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>I have seen this many times. There is also a version where they (thankfully) edit out Nick.
Is this commercial on TV often in America?
If the edit out the son, is the commercial totally different?
>I really like the new Bruce Kulick song with Nick singing…
I haven’t heard it. What’s the title?
> the Super Bowl.
The American Football Super Bowl. I had forgotten about that game.
It’s coming up, isn’t it?
Which teams are playing?
I’m from Tampa Bay, Florida…so I supported the Buccaneers.
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Toyota is getting brutalized in the media here in the States. There reputation is literally getting destroyed. It really looks bad. I feel bad for Toyota but I don’t understand how they could have let there quality standards slip like this. I think they became obsessed with passing GM and becoming number 1. They grew too fast. They need to do some serious, serious damage control over here in the US as well as Europe and China where the news is bad as well.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35150948/ns/business-autos/
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-pedal30-2010jan30,0,4401302.story
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As I wrote above, in Japan most people think the problem is that those cars weren’t made in Japan.
There hasn’t been a single case in Japan of the problems the cars overseas are having.
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